


Sun in Shadow

by LarissaFae



Category: Horizon: Zero Dawn (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - High School, Depression, F/F, F/M, Gen, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-28
Updated: 2018-01-26
Packaged: 2018-10-24 21:46:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 70,031
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10750437
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LarissaFae/pseuds/LarissaFae
Summary: Aloy's mother died when she was young, she and her two brothers are being raised by their stepfather, her crazy uncle Ted is abnormally interested in her inherited genius, and crappy high school AUs are my life.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I messed with the 20th-century timeline, and the fic also includes the 30th-century machines. I'm pretty sure that's obvious. But still.

Aloy could feel the bass thumping before she heard the growl of the engine, then a laying on of the horn and yelling for Avad. There was a muffled noise of frustration from the other room, and the sounds of Avad’s violin stopped shortly before he stomped through the living room and threw the front door open.

“It’s ten at night!” he called out. “There are noise ordinances! You’re going to get arrested!” Aloy pulled the door open enough to watch, and he waved his bow at her. “And Aloy is studying!”

Erend was too plastered to do anything but laugh and make cawing noises, but Ersa leaned halfway out the driver’s window and dragged her tongue across her lower lip as she looked Avad up and down. “Hey, baby,” she crooned. “Can I come see your room? I’ll let you … play me like an instrument.” That made Erend start air guitaring and making what he apparently thought were guitar noises. Avad jumped like he’d been shocked and ducked his head while mumbling protests. He stood there like a deer in the headlights as Ersa got out of her car and made her way up to him, her pants long and baggy and her top short and tight. “Come on,” she whispered, pressing against him and running her hands over his chest. He managed one garbled protest before she leaned up and licked his ear and he slumped a little, but did manage to grab Aloy’s arm and shove her into Ersa, who grinned brightly at her. “Oh, hi, Aloy. How’s school?”

She was trying to get Avad’s pants undone. Aloy wriggled out from between them. “Uh, fine. I’ll just, uh, get Erend. You two, uhm, have fun.”

Her older brother was protesting but not stopping Ersa from pushing him inside and toward his room. He was babbling something about impropriety and Rost getting home.

“Rost works until at least two. I’ll be done with you by then.”

Aloy didn’t hear the rest, and was glad of it. “Come on, Erend. Bedtime.”

“And Iiiiiiiii … Will rock you like an _avalanche!_ Bow-wow-nyah-nyah-nyowwwwwwww!”

Getting him out of the car wasn’t that big a chore. Getting him to stop his performance long enough to get inside was more difficult. “Hey, why don’t we do karaoke?” she finally asked.

“Yeah!” He stumbled out of her grasp and fell down, having to crawl up the driveway and to the front door.

Aloy followed him and got him onto the couch, where he promptly passed out. How he got away with half the things he got away with, she didn’t know. Avad didn’t party, and Aloy wasn’t popular enough to be invited anywhere. But Erend - Erend did what he wanted, when he wanted, and nobody but Ersa could make him do anything else. She covered him up and made sure he had a bucket to puke in, and his snoring was loud enough that she escaped to her room to finish her homework. That worked for about two seconds before the thumping of Avad’s bed against the wall and his cries of pleasure nixed her plans. The front porch it was, then, as usual. Advanced physics wasn’t that hard, and it was even easier with the Focus that Uncle Ted had given her over Rost’s protests. At some point Ersa left, patting her on the head and dropping a twenty on her holo-tab for having chased her out of the house. Avad would be a wreck in the morning, moping about how he’d taken advantage of Ersa (against all evidence that the situation was the complete opposite) and how he wanted to treat her to the finest things in life, how she needed a gentleman, and about how he found her generally flawless. Aloy pushed her homework aside an hour or so after Ersa was gone but stayed on the porch after making herself a cup of tea. She huddled in the blanket stored under the bench, and went through all the old news articles about her mother that she’d stored in her Focus. The articles made Elisabet out to be some sort of cold robot despite her dedication to saving the environment and bettering people’s lives, but all Aloy remembered of her was warmth and love.

She was still there, brooding, a second hot cup of tea and warmed up, covered leftovers on the table in front of her, when Rost pulled up in their beat-down car. The brakes needed changing, and there was a loose belt somewhere. She’d see what she could do about it over the weekend. Old Man Brin usually had spare parts he’d give her if she listened to a few of his crackpot conspiracy theories, maybe ran an errand or two for him.

Rost pursed his lips as he walked up the driveway, but he was used to her waiting up for him with a cup of tea. He sat beside her with a weary sigh and gladly took the cup, nodding in thanks. A few bites of food later, he picked up her holo-tab to look over her homework, his hand hesitating over the articles of her mother that she’d also pulled up there. He didn’t understand half of her schoolwork, but nodding approvingly anyway and raised a hesitant hand, awkwardly patting the air right above her shoulder before dropping it. A few times he took a breath and opened his mouth to speak, but always closed it again with a droop of his shoulders. He still didn’t know how to talk about Elisabet with her children. His children. He hadn’t expected their grandmothers to give him primary custody of them after Elisabet’s untimely death, but he was the only father any of them except Avad had known, and Granny Teersa had probably blackmailed Grandmother Lansra into allowing it.

“Is Nil still here?” he finally asked.

“He set up a tent in the backyard.”

“He has a week before he has to start paying rent.”

“Understood.”

They were silent after that. Once Rost had finished his dinner, he gathered the dishes and stood as he cleared his throat. “... Goodnight, Aloy.”

“Goodnight, Rost.”

She stayed outside for a little longer, then shut everything off and headed inside. It took a brief press of her hand to lock the house down. Uncle Ted refused to help with their schooling, house payments, or car - forcing Rost to work terribly long hours to support them - but he’d made sure their house was impossible to break into. His logic about when and how to help care for his sister’s children was impossible to figure out. She listened at Avad’s door to make sure he was asleep and not moaning to himself about his terrible, awful, ungentlemanly treatment of Ersa, then closed her bedroom door and opened the window, leaning against the sill and cupping her chin in her hands as she looked down at Nil’s tent. She was sure he had a home, but he preferred to at least pretend he was a homeless loner.

“Hey, Nil.”

“Yes?” was the immediate reply as the tent rustled.

“Rost says you can stay one more week before you have to start paying rent.”

“I killed Bast for you.”

“No, you didn’t. He moved away.” She actually wasn’t completely sure about that. She wasn’t sure Nil had never killed someone. She didn’t care to find out one way or the other.

“I did, too. It was wonderful. They’ll never find his body.”

“I’m pretty sure he’s still active on The Network.”

“That’s me.”

She rolled her eyes. “Ugh, whatever. Goodnight, Nil.”

“Tell Ersa it’s always a pleasure when she comes over.”

_“Goodnight, Nil!"_

He was describing the pleasure of the slice of a knife between flesh and muscle as she closed her window. She couldn’t fall asleep until she heard Rost get up and start moving around. He could have slept another hour, but he insisted on wasting precious sleep to make them all breakfast and leave it to stay warm in the oven. She didn’t sleep long after that, and woke from dreams of her mother’s scent and laughter and warm embrace. Her dreams were almost the only time she felt anything other than empty, felt like she was actually feeling something, doing something other than just going through the motions, her emotions superficial, covering a shaky nothingness in her chest. Avad’s violin floated to her through the wall. It was her cue to get up and get Erend ready for school. Erend claimed to remember their mother, but Aloy privately thought he was making it up just because his older siblings remembered her. She’d given him a stimulant pill against his slurred protests, and they were both ready by the time Varl knocked on the door. He nodded shortly to her when she opened it.

“Good morning, Aloy.”

“Hi, Varl. Come in. Avad’s almost ready. Are you hungry?”

“I ate at home, thank you.” He held up a casserole dish as he walked in. “Mother and I made this for you.”

Aloy took it with a nod and put it in the fridge, where the last casserole was two-thirds gone. “You don’t have to bring us food.”

“I know. Vala would want it.” She wanted to apologize, but he always insisted she didn’t. The accident hadn’t been her fault. Vala had, in fact, acted to save her, and Varl thought apologies diminished his sister’s sacrifice. Instead she prodded Erend into eating. “Is that for Teb?”

There was a bag of worn clothes sitting by her chair. She nodded. “He doesn’t charge to fix them.”

“He’s a good man.”

“Varl, you’re here. Good.” Avad was wringing his hands nervously, then ran them through his hair. It made it stand on end. Aloy’s lips twitched a little and Varl grinned. “I need to talk with you on the way to class.”

“I’m sure you do.” He got a dirty look for his amusement. “Are you ready, Aloy?”

She nodded as Avad cleared the dishes. They loaded Erend into the car, telling him in no short terms that he wasn’t allowed to skip school that day. If he missed much more class, he’d be kicked off the football team. He grudgingly agreed to stay the whole day, but threatened to not like it. He’d gotten out of the car and Aloy was gathering her things when Ersa appeared out of nowhere and leaned in the driver’s window, grabbing a fistful of hair at the back of Avad’s neck and kissing him like her life depended on it. He was gasping for air and almost purple with embarrassment when she let him go.

“I had fun last night, baby. Let’s do it again sometime.”

“Bye, guys.” Aloy wasn’t sure how Avad had convinced himself that _he_ was the one who was accosting _Ersa,_ rather than the other way around, yet there he was, stammering apologies as Varl covered his laughter. Maybe it was because she was a senior in high school and he was a freshman in college - but how her birthday fell meant she was already eighteen, and he himself had just turned nineteen, so their relationship - or whatever it was - wasn’t illegal. Her brother was just … anal. And weird.

“He asked me out again.” Ersa had caught up with her and draped her arm over Aloy’s shoulder.

“Oh.”

“Think I should?”

“I don’t care.”

“Sorry for keeping you up last night.”

“You didn’t.”

Ersa squeezed her shoulder. “Hey.” Aloy looked at her out of the corner of her eye. “Are you ok? You don’t seem ok.”

Aloy shrugged. “I’m fine. I’m just … tired.”

“... Yeah. Sure. Look, I was gonna make Avad go camping with me this weekend. Do you wanna come, instead? You could use a break. There are hunting grounds around, too.”

It had as much appeal as anything she vaguely enjoyed doing did. Still, she had responsibilities. “I need to work on the car. I would, but … maybe some other time.”

“I’m not taking no for an answer. I’ll find someone to work on the car - for free. Petra might do it. She likes to show off for Vanasha. Come on, Aloy. Please?”

“Hunting, you say?”

They both jumped as Nil appeared beside them, and Ersa glared at him. “You’re not invited, Nil.”

“I wasn’t asking to be invited, though I’m wounded that I wasn’t your third pick as a hunting companion. But I might drop by. I do always enjoy watching Aloy hunt.”

“You’re a creep,” Ersa snapped.

He grinned. “Guilty as charged. I’ll see you ladies later.” Then he sauntered off, twirling the switchblade he’d more than once gotten suspended for having.

Aloy’s Focus bleeped with an incoming message. She pressed it, and Sona’s holographic bust appeared, the top row of medals just visible across the right side of her chest. “Report to my house for dinner tonight,” was the curt order before the message ended.

“I’ll think about it.”

“I’ll pick you up at seven on Saturday. In the morning. We’ll be hiking a bit, so pack accordingly.” Having delivered Aloy to her first class, Ersa turned and sauntered off.

“Well, come in, Sobeck.” Professor Sylens drew a line with his holo-pointer from her to her seat. “You don’t need an invitation. Put your homework on the board.”

He always used her work as what his expectations for the other students were. Aloy connected her holo-tab with reluctance. “I may have made a few mistakes.”

“Doubtful. As you can all see, advanced physics is simple, really …”

She was teacher’s pet without asking or trying. It was always blamed on the fact that not only had Professor Sylens worked many years for Faro Industries, but that Ted Faro himself was her uncle. It didn’t matter that he was batshit crazy, thought he was literally a god, and that she and her brothers weren’t allowed to be near him unsupervised - not that they particularly wanted to be near the man who had been instrumental in their mother’s death. Aloy was an easy target for bullies no matter how many fights they started and she ended. Their bullying had just gotten more subtle over the years. Rumors that she’d been genetically enhanced and hadn’t just inherited her mother’s genius abounded. She’d heard that she was part machine, as well, rather than having trained in fighting and archery her entire life, thanks to Rost, and later, Varl and Sona. She was sure her uncanny appearance to her mother fueled the rumors that she was a clone. Grandmother Lansra, she was also sure, had helped those rumors along. The woman harbored a deep distrust of her - she despised her for some reason. Lansra was her father’s mother, so maybe that had something to do with it. Aloy didn’t remember her father. Only Avad did, and he never talked about the man.

“Aloy, a moment, please.”

“Yeah, sure.” She stayed at her desk as the rest of the class left and crossed her ankles, idly remembering Grandmother Lansra scolding her for sitting with her knees apart - the mark of a fallen woman, she’d been told. Granny Teersa had promptly launched into a detailed description of how to keep one’s knees together and still fall from grace. How they tolerated living together, Aloy would never know.

Professor Sylens’ Focus glowed the same blue as his implants as he leaned back in his chair and watched her. He finally tilted his head just slightly. “What do you plan to do after high school, Aloy? College?”

No one had ever asked her that - they always assumed she’d go into the same field as her mother. She shrugged. “Probably. Rost wants me to.”

“But what do _you_ want to do?”

“... I don’t know. Something … something good. Something nice.” She frowned down at her desk. “Make the world a better place.” Like her mother.

“That’s very noble of you. But _how_ will you do it?”

She was never sure if he was being sarcastic or not. “I don’t know, sir. Why?”

“Hmm. I … know people. An organization that would be very interested in your talent, however unrefined it currently is.” That was Professor Sylens - king of the backhanded compliments. “I don’t believe a traditional approach to education suits you. This organization would be able to provide a more challenging - and interesting - course of study for you, whichever direction you wanted to take.”

Aloy mostly wanted to sleep, for once, without worrying about her family or dreams of her mother. “I don’t know. I’ll … think about it.”

Professor Sylens stood up with a nod and gestured to the door. “Do let me know if you’re interested. There will be a … shareholder's meeting, of sorts, in a few months. An informal event. I would be more than happy to put you on the guest list.”

“I’ll talk with Rost.”

He put his hand on her shoulder - the first time he’d ever touched her. His eyes were as dark a brown as his skin. “Don’t let other people define who you are, Aloy. You are unique in this world. Don’t forget that.”

Cryptic, and vaguely foreboding. Aloy just nodded and moved on to her next class.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Killing someone for the first time is _not_ like losing one's virginity, _Nil._

“Brin? Are you here?” The door of the shack was ajar, so Aloy pushed it open further and stuck her head in with a frown. “Brin?” Maybe he was dead.

“I’m still alive.”

Aloy jumped as the coat rack in the corner spoke. Then she took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She always fell for that. She knew better, but she always assumed Brin was part of the furniture until he spoke, his face covered by bits of hanging computer wires, the hat he’d fashioned out of broken machine parts giving him to look of a coat rack.

“Oh. Well. That’s good.” She set down the bag of groceries she’d brought. “I brought you some bread, and jam, and milk. I was wondering if you had any spare brakes or serpentine belts - the car’s about to break down again.”

His robe-covered figure swayed side-to-side, the metal decorations making soft clanking sounds and sending the smell of machine oil. Aloy tried not to breathe too deeply - he clearly hadn’t bathed in a while. “Yes, yes, I have plenty. What will you do for me in return?”

She looked down at the food. “I brought you things to eat.”

“I don’t need them.” He was gesturing for her to put them on the rickety table next to him as he said it. “The machines are restless, girl-child. They hunger. What makes them hunger? What destruction do they seek? Will you believe what your eyes tell you once you know? What corporate lies will slither into your ears?” He didn’t always want an answer to his vague and rambling questions, so Aloy just shrugged. He let out a noisy breath through his nose. “Give that to Grata. You’ll find her just outside of town, by the old library. Then I will help you.”

“Grata’s back? When did she get out of jail?”

“When they let her go,” was the snide reply. “Hurry, if you want your parts.”

“Thanks.” Aloy left and kicked at a rock. Great. The old library was on the _other_ outside of town, and she had no way to get there but to walk. It would take at least an hour. She pressed her Focus and mapped out the quickest route, then headed off at a light trot through the crowded city and into the slums. A group of men called out to her when she started walking to catch her breath ten minutes later, something about her hair and her legs and that they wanted to talk. She ignored them.

“Hey, Red! Hey, sweetie! We just wanna say hi!” They overtook her, four of them, full of swagger and ego. The leader reached out for her shoulder and she dipped it down to avoid him.

“Leave me alone.”

“Oh, come on,” he scoffed. The tattoos on his pale arms said he was part of some gang or another. “We just want to talk. I’m Rando. What’s your name, beautiful?”

Aloy rolled her eyes. “It’s _not_ ‘Beautiful,’ I’ll tell you that. Leave me alone.”

“What, are you too good to talk to us? You got a man? A woman? Bet you’ve never had one of us before. We’re just trying to give you a compliment.”

She glared at his companion, a swarthy-complexioned man with kinky hair the color of blood. “It doesn’t matter. I’m not interested, you’re not complimenting me at all, and I’m sixteen.”

“Fuckin’ stuck-up bitch,” one of the others muttered.

They out-numbered and out-massed her, none of the passers-by seemed to want to get involved, and the police were nowhere to be found. This was going to be a painful fight, even if she struck first. Grata’s bread was going to get squished. She sighed and dropped down to sweep Rando’s feet out from under him. He fell into one of his friends with a shout. Aloy pushed off the ground as hard as she could and somersaulted over them. His buddies were still reacting to her swiftness, which let her sprint away as fast as she could. She didn’t look back to see if they were following her - she heard them swearing and their footsteps pounding on the pavement. Her lungs burned as she spun around a corner and right into another man’s chest, rebounding off of him as they both shouted in surprise. She ducked down, headbutted him, shoved him against the wall and took off again, but he grabbed her arm and spun her around, ducking her fist.

“Aloy! It’s me!” Nil ducked another blind swing and by that time his identity had registered, and Aloy grabbed his shoulders and pointed as Rando and his thugs appeared around the corner.

“Have fun,” she gasped.

Nil’s grin of delight nearly broke his face as he relaxed into a casual stance and moved in front of her. “Hey, fellas. Nice day.” A switchblade appeared in the hand he kept behind his back. Aloy took it before pressing her Focus to call the police.

“Get the hell out of our way,” Rando ordered.

“No, I don’t think I will. Tell me, what’s a nice group of gentlemen like you doing in a slum like this?”

“You can’t hide behind your boyfriend forever, Princess.”

“I’ve called the police,” was her reply. “I’d get out of here if I were you. Nil doesn’t play fair.” The men were trying to flank them and Aloy turned to keep them in her sight. Rando had a knife out. It was bigger than Nil’s. There was a ledge just above her.

“Compensating for something?” Nil asked.

The group lunged forward. Nil ducked down and to the side. Aloy jumped. There was a cry of pain and a splatter of blood as she swung herself up onto the ledge and then turned. Half a second to choose her target and aim, then she dove off the ledge and hit Rando at the same time another spray of blood did. They tumbled backward, slamming into a parked car. The wail of its alarm almost drowned out the sound of the brawl. Rando brought his fist down and she barely blocked it, both of them grunting with the effort. He was pinned but she was smaller; it didn’t take long for him to shove her to the ground and kick her stomach before kneeling with his knife clenched in his fist. She rolled just in time for his knife to pierce her back, and she wailed as it scraped against her shoulder blades. Aloy curled in on herself until he grabbed a fistful of her hair and then she slashed the knife across his arm, biting into muscle and tendon, his blood hot on her cheeks. His bellow of pain turned into a scream as she drove the knife into his belly. She shoved it in and up, and then a sonic boom and shock wave knocked her back, deafening her, blinding her vision.

She couldn’t hear him, but she saw Nil yelling her name as she slumped against the wall and a group of heavily-armed people in black combat fatigues surrounded them. One of them pulled her up by the arm and scanned her with a Focus that glowed orange. The woman turned her around and started applying a numbing cream to her back. Nil dragged himself to her and held her face in his hands.

“Are you ok?” His words were slurred and far away, but at least her hearing was returning. “Aloy, _are you ok?”_ The pain in her back was almost gone. She could feel the pressure of the woman applying bandages. She nodded. Nil hugged her to him with one arm as he started laughing, giddy, pressing their foreheads together, rubbing his fingers through the blood on her cheeks. “That was beautiful. Oh, that was _beautiful_. I could kiss you. Let’s do that again.”

He was certainly thrilled about the fight. She could feel his erection, and pushed against his chest. “Get off of me. You’re gross.”

“Doesn’t it feel good, though?” he whispered. He was still panting, tense with adrenaline. “Isn’t it the most amazing feeling? The slice of the blade between muscle and flesh? The look in their eyes as they realize they’re going to die?”

He was hauled off of her as sirens filled the air, held off the ground by his throat. Aloy threw her hand out. “No! Leave him alone!”

To the surprise of both of them, the burly man immediately lowered Nil to the ground. The woman touched Aloy’s shoulder. “Are you hurt anywhere else, Miz Sobeck?”

“How do you know my name?”

“Helis sends his regards,” was the only answer she got. The named pulled at her memory and Aloy finally focused on the insignia on the woman’s uniform - a black circle ringed by a golden sunburst. Eclipse. A mercenary corporation with a long history of taking out enemies with extreme prejudice. They’d faced more lawsuits than Aloy could count, but managed to wriggle out of anything other than fines. Helis was their leader, a CEO who took ‘leading by example’ to extremes. She only knew about them because Avad hated Helis with a passion. It was Eclipse’s actions in general, and Helis’ existence in particular, that had helped fuel his decision to go into politics.

The police had finally shown up and the Eclipse members stayed kneeling on the ground, holding their hands up and arms out to show they weren’t armed - at least, didn’t have any weapons in their hands. They were _all_ heavily armed. The area was being sealed off, but another sleek black police car pulled up just before the barricades closed. The dark man who got out of it had grey- and white-peppered black hair, pulled into a small ponytail at the back of his neck. He was wearing a suit instead of a uniform, and took his time to look over the scene. Then he knelt in front of Aloy and gave her a slight smile. “Miz Sobeck. I’m Detective Marad. What did Nil do this time?”

“I was an innocent bystander,” Nil claimed.

He got politely raised eyebrows that still said Marad didn’t believe a word that came out of his mouth. Aloy coughed, and her stomach hurt. “I … they wouldn’t leave me alone.”

“The men? Or Nil?”

“Oh, you’re funny, Marad.”

“The men.” She put her hand against her forehead. Her entire face was sticky. “I told them to leave me alone. I didn’t know what they would do, so I … I ran. I knocked one down and ran. They chased me. Nil helped me. I didn’t want to hurt them. I wanted them to leave me alone.”

“The world won’t miss them, I assure you. Why were you in the slums?”

“Shortcut,” she coughed. “I was bringing groceries to a friend, so another friend would give me parts to fix our car.”

“I see. And why would Eclipse be here?” he asked the woman.

“We were in the area and heard the scuffle,” she told him with a blank face.

They stared at one another in silence for a moment before Marad nodded. “And I’m sure the security footage will show exactly that. I’d like you all to come with us so we can figure this out.” The broken jar of jelly was lodged in one of the men’s faces. Aloy stared at it. The car wasn’t going to be fixed this weekend. Her shoulder was touched again and she jerked her attention back to Marad. “Miz Sobeck? We’re going to call your stepfather. He’ll meet us at the station.”

“N, no.” She got raised eyebrows. “Please. He can’t miss work.”

“Miz Sobeck, you’re a minor. We _have_ to call your family.”

She shook her head. “Call my grandmother. Teersa. Please, don’t call Rost.”

Marad nodded slowly. “We’ll have to call him eventually, Miz Sobeck, but your grandmother will do for now. Do you need to go to the hospital?”

They couldn’t afford it. “No.” Nil was on his feet and held his hand out, and she managed to not wince too much as she took his hand and he hauled her up. They leaned against each other, exhausted.

“Eclipse will take care of the bill.”

Aloy and Marad both swung their heads around to stare at the commander of the Eclipse unit. “And why would Helis be so generous?” Marad asked lightly.

“I don’t question orders.”

“... I see. Very well. Miz Sobeck, as this exceedingly generous offer has been made, I do insist that you get medical attention.”

“What about me?” Nil whined. “I helped, too. I feel I should get a share of the rewards.”

There was a moment of silence as her Focus was consulted, then the commander nodded. “You, as well.”

“I suppose that’s settled, then. Take the commander and her group to the station,” one of the officers was instructed. “I will accompany Miz Sobeck and her … friend … to the hospital.”

“Yes, sir.”

An ambulance had arrived, and all three of them were hustled into the back. Marad looked down as one of the EMTs helped Aloy take her shirt off for a thorough examination of her knife wound, but Nil had no concept of modesty that any rational human would find acceptable, and watched the whole process. Aloy turned so that she was facing a corner as the EMT unhooked her bra and worked. Marad sighed a little.

“Nil. Have some decency.”

“I’ve never heard that word.” Aloy hissed a little as disinfectant was applied, and she heard him lean forward. “Be careful.”

“Let them do their job, Nil. Miz Sobeck ---”

“Aloy. Please.”

“... Aloy. Despite Eclipse’s presence and Nil’s … enthusiastic defense of you, I’m sure that this will be an easy case of self-defense. You were both outnumbered, after all. I don’t believe you’ll have to worry about legal ramifications. I don’t think it would be allowed even if we had cause to suspect this was a deliberate setup.”

She had her hands over her breasts to keep her bra from falling off, and looked over her shoulder at the detective. “What do you mean?”

“What do you know of Eclipse?”

“What everyone else knows, I suppose.”

“And have you ever met Helis?”

She shook her head. “No. I don’t think so. Should I have?”

Marad shrugged, his movements fluid. “I don’t believe so, but his interest in your welfare is … intriguing. Regardless, I don’t believe it’s anything for you to be concerned with. Eclipse has been hit with several hefty lawsuits lately - he’s most likely trying to rebrand the organization as protectors of the people. He’s a rather cunning man.”

“That’s going to scar beautifully.”

Aloy rolled her eyes. “How do you two know each other?”

“Marad is sad that he can’t get any dirt on me. My hands are clean. It wounds him to his soul.”

“I can’t comment on ongoing investigations.”

Nil was being investigated by the police. Interesting. She glared over her other shoulder at him and he gave her a cheeky grin. “Your makeup is running.”

He touched just under his eyes. “It’s water proof, not blood proof.” Then he laughed at his own wit.

The rest of the ride was relatively quiet, and Aloy was laying face-down on an operating table, her back numb to the stitches being placed in it, when her grandmother arrived. She was stately, bearing her age with pride. Even a slight hunch and a cane didn’t diminish her stature, and she tapped over to Aloy with a serene expression. Aloy blinked slowly at her and sighed.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be, child. Apparently you fight like a demon out of Hell.” Gnarled, gentle hands brushed her hair out of her face. Teersa sat down in the chair an attendant brought. “Are you alright?”

It took her time to consider. Then, quietly, “I killed someone today.”

“And well you did. Oh, now, I’m not saying you should start seeking out people to kill,” Teersa went on when Aloy’s eyes widened, “but the world won’t miss him or his friends. How hurt are you? Did they get their hands on you?”

“Well, we fought, but that was it. Is Rost going to be angry?”

Teersa’s teeth showed as she grinned. “That he wasn’t there to help the fight, yes. At you, no. He may be a little peeved that you decided to go through the slums, but he’ll be more relieved that you’re relatively unharmed. Why _were_ you out there?”

“Trying to help a friend so I could get the car fixed. It was a shortcut.”

Her grandmother pursed her lips. “Well, go the long way, next time.”

“I think I will.”

The doctor tapped her shoulder. Everyone was touching her shoulders today. “We’re done. We’d like to keep you overnight for observation. We’ll move you to a room.”

“I’ll let Rost know,” Teersa said as she pulled herself up and squeezed Aloy’s hand. “He’ll take it better from me.” 

“Avad and Erend are going to freak out.”

“Probably. I’ll keep them from storming the gates to get you.” Teersa walked by her as she was moved to a private room, and raised her eyebrows once they were there. “And who are you, young man?”

“Not leaving Aloy,” was Nil’s cheerful reply. Aloy turned her head and he was sitting up in the bed next to hers, arms crossed behind his head. He grinned and winked at her. “Another fight might break out. I don’t want to miss the fun.”

“He’s fine,” Aloy said. The nurse helped her into the bed, then took her vitals and nodded to himself.

“Alright, then, if you say so. Do you need anything from me, Aloy? Are you hungry?”

“Don’t tell Lansra.”

Teersa laughed. “I’m not telling that old coot anything, don’t you worry. I’ll let your brothers know.”

“Oh, no …”

An hour later, Avad and Erend burst into the room, asking questions on top of questions. Aloy sighed with relief. Nil’s constant talk of the fight was wearing on her. Avad dropped to his knees and took her hand, his face pinched with worry.

“You’re going to be ok, Aloy. Don’t worry.”

“Uh, yeah. I know. Thanks.”

“I’ll take that entire gang on,” Erend threatened. “They won’t know what hit them.”

“We can do it legally, Erend.” Avad glared at his younger brother. “Don’t stress Aloy.”

She sighed. “I’m not stressed, really.”

“Don’t worry about the hospital bill,” Avad went on. “We’ll figure it out.”

Aloy rolled her eyes. “I’m not, but that’s not exactly a relaxing thing to say. The bill’s being paid for.”

“By _who?”_

“Eclipse. Helis ordered it.”

Avad went perfectly still before rage blossomed across his face. His hand was shaking as he raised it to gently touch her cheek. It took him a few tries to talk without his voice breaking. “And … did you … was he there? Did you talk to him?”

“Yeah, I’m going to join up with them as soon as I graduate.” Her sarcasm wasn’t appreciated. Avad was red beneath his russet-toned skin. She closed her eyes. “No. Why?”

“I’ll be back.”

“Hey!” He left without another word, and Aloy groaned into her pillow.

“What’s up with _him?”_ Erend asked.

“I don’t know.” He came back a few minutes later, his right hand bandaged at the knuckles, a tiny bit of blood seeping through. He wouldn’t talk to anyone, just sat in the chair that Teersa wasn’t in and crossed his arms over his chest, glaring at the far wall. Aloy closed her eyes and tried to sleep, but other than a slight doze, was awake until Rost knocked on the door and walked in without waiting for an answer. “Oh, boy.”

He knelt by her and looked her over. His brown eyes were pinched at the corners. Finally, he took a deep breath. “You look like hell.”

Aloy’s lips twitched. “You should see the other guy.”

She got a faint snort. “I’d like to. Where is he?”

“The morgue.”

Rost’s eyes went wide as Avad finally stood up. “Rost, we need to talk.”

“Ah, Mr. Nora, there you are.” Marad was in the doorway, “I’m Detective Marad. I’d like to discuss Aloy’s … adventure.”

“Of course. I’ll be back, Aloy.”

“‘Kay, bye.”

They were gone about two minutes before the yelling started. Aloy couldn’t hear actual words, but Rost and Avad were furious. Nil leaned over and poked her. “What did Eclipse _do?”_

“Heck if I know,” Aloy replied. She tried to push his hand away, but her position meant she only managed an ineffectual, vague arm-wave. “Stop it. Why are you here? _You_ didn’t get stabbed.”

“Free food, my friend. Free food.”

That made her laugh. “Fair enough. Thank you for helping me.”

“I’m sure you would have taken them all, but I’m honored you chose to have me at your side when you made your first kill.”

Aloy closed her eyes with a groan. Of course. “I killed someone, Nil - I didn’t lose my virginity.”

He shrugged and poked her shoulder again. “Same thing, really. The French call an orgasm ‘la petite mort’ - the little death.”

“If you don’t shut up, I’m going to make them take you away.” He laughed, but dropped his hand and made a kissy face at her before rolling onto his back and closing his eyes.

She pretended to be asleep when Avad and Rost came back in, but they didn’t talk about Eclipse or Helis, just sat by her until morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes I notice my characters repeating actions or thoughts, and rather than think up more creative ways to write, I just mention it in the story and laugh at my cleverness.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hello, Ersa/Avad character development, and Nil's a pal.

Grata’s chanting reached them over the rumbling of Ersa’s car as she left it to idle. Avad sat next to her in the front, his coarse black hair slicked back except for the part Ersa kept ruffling. His cream-and-bronze outfit was casual, his loose shirt and wide-legged pants that drew in tight at the ankles made of satin, but it still managed to come off as stuffy when compared with Ersa’s out-of-the-junkyard preference in clothes. There’d been minimal flirting on the way over - Avad was still upset over the fight and whatever his issue with Helis was, and Ersa had made only a few comments. She kept running her hand up and down his arm, though, or up the back of his head in order to fluff his hair. Aloy was pretty sure Avad’s feelings weren’t as one-sided as they appeared to be.

“Thanks for the ride,” she said as she opened the back door. Her back was still sore, but even two days after the fight, it was clear that the quality of medicine one received relied as much on the amount of money one was able to pay as the quickness of the service did. She eased both legs out of the car, then gripped the door and the frame and took a deep breath to pull herself up. “I’ll be back.”

“Let her do it herself,” she heard Ersa murmur as Avad shifted. “What happened?”

The question was clearly meant to be only for Avad’s ears, but Aloy was less interested in the answer as she was in finally giving Grata her groceries and getting the car parts from Brin. She whistled as her stiff walk brought her up to the trailer door and silence greeted her, then she listened again and went around back. Grata had made herself a shrine of sorts, and sat cross-legged in front of it. It was crafted out of old tree branches and draped in vines, a crude circle with some sort of arcane symbol in the middle, the skulls of small animals hanging from the cardinal points of it.

“Hi, Grata.” The chanting paused as Aloy set the new bag of food on the table. “I brought you food. From Brin.”

“Sustenance for one is sustenance for all. I am granted sustenance, and all benefit.”

Aloy shrugged. “Ok, then. He says hi. I think. He said a lot. I’m sure part of it translated to ‘tell Grata hi for me.’ So …” There was an awkward moment as Grata started her chant again. “I’m glad you’re out of prison.”

“I thank the Universe and the Goddess for their bounty, for the water that rusts iron shackles, for the wind that sets us free. We are Her children, and we are truly blessed by Her graciousness.”

“Yeah, not into weird ---” Ersa and Avad started shouting. Aloy’s heart jumped. “Gotta go, Grata. Bye!” She hurried as much as she could back around the trailer. She didn’t know if she could fight anyone else right now.

“I can’t help you if you don’t tell me what’s wrong!” Ersa was yelling. She and Avad were in front of her car and glaring at each other, Avad with his arms crossed tightly over his chest and Ersa with one fist on her hip and one fist waving between them like she wanted to hit something. He was significantly taller than her, but she was more likely to start - and finish - a physical fight. “If you want my help, fine! If you don’t, _fine!_ But don’t get all cryptic on me and then get angry when I want more details! I don’t even see what the problem is!”

“I’m not asking for your help!”

“Bull _shit,_ you aren’t! You sat right there and said you needed my opinion! You wanted me to tell you what to do! But _you_ didn’t like what I had to say, so now _I’m_ the one butting in. That’s bullshit, Avad, and you know it.” His head and shoulders dropped in defeat. Ersa reached out and pulled him against her. They whispered to each other as they embraced, and a few minutes later she pulled back, cupped his cheeks, and gave him a gentle kiss. Avad’s eyes fluttered a bit as he started to smile. Ersa looked over at Aloy. “Come on, let’s get those parts. Stay over tonight.”

That was said to Avad, who shook his head as they all got in the car. “I can’t. It’s not right. I haven’t even met your parents.”

Ersa started snorting with laughter. “Oh, God. It’s fine. I’ve told them about you. They trust me not to bring home creeps.”

“No, I can’t treat you like that.”

Ersa’s head hit the headrest and she groaned before looking at Aloy in the rearview mirror. “Aloy. Please. Do something with him.”

“I don’t care what you two do, as long as I don’t hear it.”

“Look, Avad, I’m not asking you to stay over so I can have my way with your body. I think you need a break, ok? Bring your violin, bring a book, I don’t care. I’m asking you to spend time with me. Please.”

“Are you going to yell at me again?” he asked.

“Only if you keep being a little shit.”

Avad let out a soft breath of a laugh and leaned his head against his headrest, looking out the window. “I … I can accept that.” He let his hand lay on the shifter and Ersa took it, squeezing gently.

“You two are disgusting.”

“Yeah, well, I can’t ditch him now. I’ve got him perfectly trained.” Ersa winked at her and ran a hand through her close-cut hair. “I’m thinking of growing my hair out. What do you think, Avad? I know you like long hair.”

He turned his head toward her slowly and took a long look at her cropped hair. “True,” he finally admitted, “but it’s your hair, and you’ll do what you want with it. I like you regardless of your sartorial choices.”

“See, now,” Ersa went on as she barely skimmed through a yellow light, “the first time I asked him about that - well, I _didn’t_ ask. He told me that longer hair would frame my face better after a debate - give me a more professional, polished look, or something. What _exactly_ did you tell me, baby?”

Avad shook his head. “I’m not falling into this trap again. It was rude and presumptive of me, and I’m not going to repeat it. I’ve learned my lesson.” The sun was baking the old junkyard lot that Brin lived on, so different from the artificial lushness of the city rising out of the desert. Her brother looked over his shoulder. “Do you need us to go with you?”

Ersa was mouthing ‘no’ at her, so she shook her head. “I’ve got it, thanks.” She eased out of the beat-up car and sighed with relief when Bran’s shack was mildly cooler than the scorching bare sun. “Brin? I gave Grata her food. Sorry it took so long. I … something came up.”

The coat rack shifted and Aloy jumped. Like always. “The shadows will rise. The machines hunger. Our tyrannical rulers will tighten their metal grasp and squeeze the life out of this world.”

“Yeah, uh, so … those parts?”

“You will find all you need in the wilds of the north.” She just nodded with a tight smile. He gestured, irritated, and released another cloud of greasy body odor. “Go, take what you desire.”

“Thanks! I really appreciate it.” Her mother had died in the north. Aloy wasn’t sure what she’d been working on - some sort of top-secret government project. There’d been an avalanche. Uncle Ted had caused it, conducting weapons testing in the area. How that would have set off an avalanche, Aloy didn’t know. Brin’s cryptic words always unnerved her with their accuracy. She spent about half an hour clambering around the old cars and Faro machines before finding the brakes and serpentine belt she was looking for. Her back was tensing up at that point, so she marked the spots on her Focus and headed back out for Ersa’s help.

To her surprise, Ersa and Avad weren’t making out. She was sitting on the hood of her car, one arm crossed under her breasts and across her legs, the other elbow resting on it, fingers held lightly against her lips except for the occasional gesture to emphasize what she was saying. Avad was crouched on the ground with a look of intense concentration on his russet face, his elbows on his knees and his palms pressed together like he was praying, his pointer fingers pressed against his lips. There _was_ lipstick smeared all over his lips and neck, though, which meant the heated making out had lead to the calm debate, as opposed to a heated debate leading to calm making out.

“The current social structure can’t handle that amount of change that quickly,” Avad was saying. “It’s good change, yes, and badly needed, but society can’t handle it. The corporations have too much of a stranglehold on everything. We need a more subtle approach.”

“But that will take too long,” Ersa argued. She had a flavored chew stick sticking out of the corner of her mouth. “I’m not saying an armed insurrection is what’s needed, but we need more than just scattered protests and begging for attention. We need allies in higher places that can work with us, introduce _less_ gradual change - not _immediate_ change, but _less_ gradual change - with the might of a corporation behind them.”

“And to do that, you’ll need a gradual social shift.”

“Which I think we already have. Look at all the protests going on. Yeah, they could use a more centralized leadership, but it’s a start.” Aloy coughed and they both looked over at her. “You ready?”

“No. I need your help getting the belt and brakes off. My back hurts.”

Ersa slid off the car and gently took the collar of Avad’s shirt. “C’mon, pretty boy. Show me how much of a manly man you are.”

“Do you want me to be sensitive, or do you want me to be manly?” he asked as he got up and followed her.

She laughed. “What sort of archaic thinking is _that?_ You can pull my hair _and_ bring me flowers.”

“ _You_ pull _my_ hair. And you don’t like flowers.” He was watching her rear as she walked.

“I like flowers.”

“But I’ve brought you flowers before, and you didn’t like them.”

She rolled her eyes as they stopped to get the lift that would get the car up to take the brakes off. “I didn’t like you _bringing_ me flowers. But I like them.”

Avad’s lips were pursed as he thought. “So … what _should_ I bring you?”

“Nothing I can say in front of Aloy.”

Aloy groaned. “And here I thought you could go five minutes without sexual innuendo.”

Ersa nudged her with a grin. “I like making him blush.” They stopped in front of the car and she waved Avad ahead. “Whelp, go on, pretty boy. Make yourself useful.”

He did as he was told, easing the lift under the car and jacking it up. “I’m not just a pretty face.”

“You’re right. You’ve got form _and_ function. I like that. Where’s the belt at, Aloy?” Aloy pointed and Avad got a swat on the rear before they walked off. Ersa clasped her hands behind her head and stretched her back. “Yeah, he’s alright. I think I’ll keep him around a bit longer.”

“He really _does_ like you.”

“I know. That’s why I’m keeping him around.” They stopped at the car and Ersa leaned over the engine. “I’m not going to fuck him and ditch him. I’d have done _that_ a _long_ time ago.”

“So why are you still with him?”

Ersa grunted a little as she worked. “Well … he’s a - _damn!_ \- a good man. He cares about his family. He … ugh, this damn thing … he could have just gone off to university, but he’s staying to help you all. He _did_ get a full-ride scholarship.”

“He’s taking long-distance courses.”

“Still, he stayed to help. He’s a bit prissy at times, but he’s getting better. Hah!” She stood up in triumph, holding the serpentine belt like a prize in her fist. “Let’s go see if he’s chipped a nail.”

“Did you chip a nail yet?” Aloy asked as they ambled up to Avad. He was sweating in the heat, his satin shirt plastered to his back and grease streaks on his face.

“You’d have heard the scream,” he grunted. “I messed up my makeup, though.”

The lines and circles under his eyes were almost gone. Ersa clutched her chest with a gasp. “ _No._ Not your _makeup!_ You didn’t even bring anything to touch it up with!”

He rolled his eyes as he shook his head. “As if yours look any better. Half of it’s on _me.”_

“I like how rough he gets when he’s grumpy.” Ersa knelt to help, and it was quick work to get the last brake removed. “Are we dropping you off at Varl’s, or do you need to shower first?”

“They’ll let me shower over there, and bring me home. You two can, uh, do what you do.”

Ersa laughed as they piled the parts into the car. “Avad’s got a mid-term coming up. I’m going to help him study. We’ll drop you off first, then put everything in the garage. Petra and Vanasha will come over on Saturday to work on the car.”

“Thanks.” A few minutes later they were checking her in at the Air Force base. Sona pulled up a few minutes after that, tall and imposing, her neutral face still set in almost a scowl. The guards on duty pulled to attention as she got out of her car. “Hi, Sona.”

“Aloy. How are you feeling? At ease,” the general said to the sentries.

“I’m fine. A little sore, but we just got the parts for the car.”

Sona took the holopad from one of the guards and signed her name, then handed it back with a curt nod of her head. “Come. I’ll send a mechanic.”

“No, it’s fine, thank you.” Aloy eased into the passenger seat. “Ersa found someone to do it.”

She got a sideways look as they left the gate and headed to the base’s residential area. “You have more friends than you think you do, Aloy.” Her nose wrinkled just slightly. “You can bathe while dinner finishes, if you like.”

“Thanks. How’s Varl doing?”

“Ready to take on the entire seedy underworld of the city to avenge you.” Aloy laughed a little. “You’re lucky you don’t have a permanent military escort.”

“I know.”

“Will you go back to school on Monday?”

“Yeah. I don’t like sitting around at home.” They pulled up to the modest house at the end of the cul-de-sac and got out. Varl was waiting for them at the door and kept his hands clenched at his side as his eyes crawled over her for signs of injury or distress. “Hey, Varl. I’m fine.”

“I’ve run a bath for you. Soak as long as you like.”

There was only a shower back home. Aloy’s toes curled in anticipation of a bath. “Thanks.”

“Take these with you,” Sona told her, handing her a tray of fresh, warm cookies and a glass of cold milk as they passed by the kitchen. Aloy had seen her scare an entire battalion into submission with one withering look, yet whenever she herself was over, there were always fresh cookies and milk waiting.

“Thanks. Both of you. I appreciate it.” Getting her shirt off resulted in a twinge of protest from her shoulder muscles, and Aloy looked at her stitches in the mirror. It was healing up well. She rubbed her hands over the small of her back and her fingers brushed over the three circular birthmarks on her left side. They were slightly darker than the rest of her skin and a little rough, and made her a little uneasy. She shook her head, put her Focus on the counter, and slid into the tub. The water was just this side of too hot, and Aloy was able to sink into it up to her chin. It had bubbles in it. That was mainly because the first time Sona had let her bathe there, Varl had walked in on her. She hadn’t thought skin as dark as his could visibly blush. She’d been wrong. Still, she did enjoy them. They added a nice scent to the air. Unlike the shower at home, the tub kept the water at a consistent temperature, and it relaxed her muscles as she nibbled on her cookies and sipped at her milk. She always felt like she was in the lap of luxury when she visited Varl and Sona.

By the time she’d gotten up and washed her hair, her clothes had been washed and returned. She tended to forget that Varl had a laundry system that sucked clothes in, cleaned, dried, and folded them, then returned them to their owner. She appreciated it - getting back into dirty clothes when she was clean was a terrible feeling. The scent of dinner wafted to her and her stomach grumbled. Varl and Sona were just finishing setting the table when she got to the dining room, and Varl smiled at her.

“Do you feel better?”

“Always, thank you,” she told him while putting the cup and plate in the sink.

Sona gestured to a chair. “Good. Eat.” They’d eaten in silence for a few minutes before she spoke again. “Why aren’t you taking college courses? Your classes now can’t be of much interest to you.” Then she shook her head sharply, remembering that Aloy couldn’t afford it. “There’s a military program you might enjoy. It will be more challenging. It’s usually for service members, but I can get you a waiver, if you’re interested. There are several different course systems you can take. For no charge.”

Aloy perked up a bit, but still hesitated. “Would I be working for the military?”

“Usually, yes, but as a civilian, you don’t have to.”

She trusted Sona more than she trusted Professor Sylens. Aloy nodded slowly. “I … I’d like to take a look at the courses, thank you.”

“I’ll download it to your Focus. Is Avad still running around with that hooligan?”

“Don’t talk about Erend like that, Mother.”

Aloy and Sona laughed a little. “Ersa likes him, too. She’s just … bad at showing it.”

“Good. And send Erend to me when you get tired of him.”

“I wish.” She was tired from the bath and the food, so she didn’t stay long after dessert. The house was empty when they dropped her off - Erend was who-knew-where, Avad was at Ersa’s, and Rost was at work. She opened her window and leaned out. “Hey, Nil.”

“Yes?”

“If you promise not to be creepy, I need help putting the cream on my back.”

“I can only promise to try to hold myself back.” He unzipped the tent and stuck his head out. “Shall I come up?” Aloy rolled her eyes and stepped back. He was quick to climb up and through her window, then took the cream and twirled his finger at her.

“Thanks,” she said as she stripped her shirt off.

“It’s my eternal pleasure. Oh, this is beautiful ...”

“Don’t be a pervert, either.” 

He snorted as he unhooked her bra. “There is cold comfort in the warmth of another’s body, Aloy.”

“Good to know my honor is safe from you.”

He snorted again as he put a bit of the cream on her wound and started to rub it in in gentle circles. “I said _cold_ comfort, Aloy. I didn’t say _no_ comfort.”

“I can’t imagine _you_ needing comfort.”

“Well, I can’t be killing gang members _all_ the time, so I make ---” He froze, and she looked over her shoulder with raised eyebrows.

“Uh … Nil?”

His gray eyes were focused down, then his fingers touched her lower back. “Where did you get these?” was his soft question.

Aloy shifted a little. “My birthmarks?”

“... These aren’t birthmarks, Aloy. These are burns.”

She snorted. “I’m pretty sure I’d remember getting burned. I’ve always had them.”

“And I know what burn scars look like. These are cigarette burns. Who burned you?”

There was an edge to his voice and Aloy scoffed. “Nil, I promise, they’re birthmarks. Who would burn me? I would have been a baby when it happened.”

He made a low noise in the back of his throat. “That’s what I’d like to find out. Well, never mind for the moment.” He was brisk, then, and went back to rubbing in the medicated cream. “Want to go slumming again, some time? I had fun with you.”

“I’m not going to kill anyone with you, Nil. Thursday was an accident.”

He leaned forward and his breath was hot on her neck, making her shiver as it raised goosebumps. “But wasn’t it glorious?” he murmured. His hands had moved to rubbing her shoulders. “Wasn’t the hot splatter of blood, the breaking of their bones, the looks in their eyes as they realized they were going to die ---”

Aloy jerked away and turned to slap at him. “I said no being creepy! Get out!”

He grinned and pointed as he stood up. “Your bra’s off.”

“I don’t care! Get out!” She threw her pillow at him and he sat on the window sill, laughing, before jumping to the ground.

“You love me, you know it!”

“Augh!” She slammed her window and then lay on her bed. His words bothered her. He _would_ know what a burn scar looked like better than she would, but it didn't make sense that anyone would burn her on purpose. She moved one hand behind her to gently touch the marks. The uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach returned, and she jerked her hand away and curled up in a ball, staring at the wall until Rost came home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, that's a thing that happened.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Children who take classes at the Hunters Lodge are called Hatchlings and I refuse to believe otherwise.

Rumors had certainly spread in her absence. Aloy had already heard five different accounts of the gang fight, and she was only halfway down the hallway. Everyone was turning to look at her and whisper or outright talk. She wondered if they knew she could hear them - or if they just didn’t care. She ignored the stares as she got to class and sat down. Professor Sylens looked at her for long enough for her to start fidgeting.

“Sorry I’m late.”

“... Don’t be. I’m glad you’re ok. I would hate for you to have been killed. You’ve still _so much_ to live for.”

“I wasn’t trying to get killed. It was an accident.”

“One that’s worked out exceptionally well for you. Put your work on the board.”

She didn't see how it had worked out well for anyone aside from Nil. “I just don’t ever get a break, do I?”

“Life doesn’t work like that, Sobeck.”

“Yeah, thanks for that reminder. I may have forgotten.”

“You may have been in a brawl, Sobeck, but that doesn't give you license to sass your teachers.”

Aloy tilted back a bit with wide eyes and her hand over her mouth. _“What?_ I could have _sworn_ that was a clause in the gang fight portion of the life contract I signed at birth.” She bounced her finger in front of her, as if reading. “Wait … ‘Sub-clause A, Paragraph Two: Upon entering life on this earth, the undersigned is granted sass leniency in the event of a fight, in direct proportion to the severity of both the fight and any wounds - physical and emotional - suffered.’ Yep. Right there. Sass pass activated.”

The class laughed until Professor Sylens slapped his hand on his desk and pointed to one of her homework questions. “And in _this_ equation, you …”

Aloy grinned - she couldn't help it. She let him scroll for a moment. Then, “I keep telling you that you shouldn't make me teacher's pet. Nothing in there is wrong, is it?”

His lips were a thin line of irritation. “I wonder what your father thinks of all this.”

“He's very happy that I'm alive, and very proud that I was able to keep a clear head during the fight.” Sylens blinked at her. “Rost,” she clarified.

“... Yes. Rost.” He brought up the day's lesson and ignored her for the rest of class.

*

Sona had sent her the curriculum for the military courses. The options were fascinating - as much as she balked at the assumption that she would follow in her mother’s footsteps, Aloy had a keen interest in physics and engineering. She’d begged Rost to let her stay within her age group in school when she was younger, and he had agreed with the stipulation that she take as many advanced classes as she could. Staying within a year of her age group didn’t mean she had to keep their learning pace - as much as she wanted to be accepted by her peers, or at least not ostracised too much, neither did she or Rost want her learning to be stifled. Aloy was eating lunch as she went over the curriculum and sample texts included, taking slow and absent bites, when two people sat beside her and an arm was thrown over her shoulder. Another one joined it from the other side, and there was a bit of a tug-of-war.

“Hey, Little Spark. I hear you need some help with your car.” Petra was grinning. “I'll be happy to do it … for a kiss.”

“I'll _let_ her do it for a kiss,” Vanasha put in. “Oooh, just look at that blush.”

Aloy wasn't sure what to do or say. The pair’s advances weren't _necessarily_ unwanted. Her heart was starting to beat faster as she absolutely blanked on responses. Their bodies were warm as they pressed against her on the sunny bench. “Uhm … I’m kind of busy right now … maybe another time?”

“Huh. I don't think she's been kissed before.” Vanasha sounded intrigued.

“A sweet girl like Aloy? Beautiful and talented? Impossible.”

Aloy covered her face with one hand. “So what? I'm not exactly popular.”

“With all the chores you do for other people, you ought to be. Alright, then, you just tell us when you want kisses, and we'll be right there. We're coming over on Saturday. Wear something nice - I like some eye candy while I work.”

“Yeah, sure.”

“Well, we're off. See you!” The pair leaned in and Aloy got kisses on both cheeks before they stood up and walked off. Her eyes went wide and her skin burned. She sat at the table and stared after them in shock until Nil flopped down next to her. 

“Did they come over just to hit on you?”

“I … I don't know.”

“Well, I don't want to pay rent, so I'll be moving on tomorrow. Have you asked Rost about your burns?”

“Birthmarks,” was her automatic, if absent, reply.

His knife twirled between his fingers with a pensive frown. “It doesn't hurt to double-check.”

Aloy pulled one knee up and wrapped her arms around it as she looked at him. “Why do you even care?”

Nil closed his eyes. The knife spun faster. “Because harm to others should come with a fight. It should be against the maggots that infest this city - not children who did nothing wrong and can't defend themselves. There's no honor in pain like that.”

His face was blank, absent of all emotion. Aloy's heart twisted. "What happened? To you?”

He shook his head. “Nothing. Why?”

“That seemed awfully personal.”

“Oh, Aloy.” He opened his eyes and grinned at her. It carried no amusement in it. “You're so sweet. I'm fine, and nothing happened to me. I'm concerned, however, about what happened to _you._ What monster should we hunt next? Whose blood is _begging_ to be spilled in the hot sun?”

It was hard to tell when he was evading a subject and when he was just being Nil. “Either some blood vessels didn't form correctly, or, more likely, the cells that cause pigmentation just had an overgrowth.”

“I believe you as much as Marad believes I'm innocent.”

Aloy snorted. “Yeah, what's _that_ about?”

He was flipping the knife in the air, now. His shrug was almost delicate. “Oh, a few too many gang exterminations have happened while I was in the area. I'm innocent, I promise. I've never hurt a soul before last week.”

“You mean, they don’t have any dirt on you, but they’re trying.”

“It’s sad that so many security cameras in that area are faulty. A tragedy, really.”

Aloy’s snort nearly choked her. Either he was lying for fun or he was a sociopath. “Well, as long as all those accidents only happen to gangs, I suppose it’s for the best.”

“I’m glad that’s settled, then. So, you'll ask about your … marks … and get back to me.”

“Probably not. I know what they are, and even _if_ they're burns, it's none of your business.” He didn't look pleased at not getting his way. Aloy didn't care. She stood up and turned her Focus off. “I've got to get going. I missed Friday at the Lodge and I need to make it up.”

“Mm.”

“Stop sulking. See you later.”

Now he was sulking on purpose, crossing his arms over his chest and scowling without looking at her. Aloy only cared a little. She was taking all her physical education credits at the Lodge. She took the train there, bow and arrows at her side, and Talanah came up to her with a worried, yet relieved, smile as she was signing in.

“Hey, little Thrush. Are you ok to go out today? You don't have to.”

“I'm fine. You're paying for it - I don't want you to waste money.”

She got a laugh and a gentle pat on the shoulder. “It's a free program.”

 _“Someone's_ paying for it.”

“True. Good thing I'm in charge around here. We'll take it easy today - do you mind helping with the younger kids? It'll be a good refresher of the basics.”

“You're the Sun-Hawk. It's ok.” She was still a little stiff, anyway. Aloy followed Talanah through the rustic lodge to the children's area. It was a large building, two storeys high with the center of it open, holding the metal carcass of a Snapmaw that had gone rogue years earlier. The Lodge started its training program for children at as young as four years old, using soft-tipped arrows that were highly unlikely to take an eye out. There were about twenty children being led by two Thrushes, and Talanah clapped her hands.

“Hello, Hatchlings!”

“Hello, Sun-Hawk Talanah,” they chorused.

Talanah beamed at them and gestured to Aloy. “This is my Thrush, Aloy. She and I are going to be helping out today while Akiko and Umar are sick. I need you to teach her how to be a hunter. Is that ok with you?”

She got a few giggles and a general mumbling of consent. One of the younger boys came up to them and took Aloy's hand. “You're pretty,” he told her.

Aloy laughed a bit and smiled back at him as she knelt to be on his level. “Thank you. You're handsome.”

He shook his head, kinky black hair bobbing with the movement. “Nuh-uh. I'm pretty.”

“Ok, then. You're pretty, too.”

He grinned. “I'm Chiwetel.”

“Nice to meet you, Chiwetel. What do I do first?”

He led her to the rack of bows and arrows and handed her one. She was half-afraid she'd break it. “This is too small for you, but you'll grow into it.”

That made her laugh again. He was clearly mimicking his teachers. “Ok. What next?” she asked as he gave her an arrow and led her to the shooting line. 

“You have to stand right. Like this.”

He stood facing the wall, rather than the corner, with his feet too far apart. Aloy nodded. “What if I stand like this?” She stood properly, facing the corner with her feet shoulder-width apart and back straight, turning just her head to the target. “Is this ok, too?”

Chiwetel pursed his lips as four other girls and boys gathered around her. Finally he nodded. “That’s better, I think. That looks good.”

“Thank you. What do I do next?” She asked this to a girl around seven, with straight black hair and a pronounced epicanthic fold.

“Your hair is pretty,” was the answer she got.

Aloy smiled again. “Well, thank you. Should I hold the bow like this?” She held it out with her arm straight, elbow locked.

“No!” The girl shook her head firmly. “How are you a Thrush if you don’t know how to shoot a bow?” She was a bossy thing. Aloy approved. “You have to turn your elbow out, so the string doesn’t hit your arm.”

“Right, I forgot. I haven’t been here in a while. Thank you. What’s your name?”

“Lupita.” She was suspicious of Aloy’s claims, eyes narrowed even more. “You don’t have an arrow on it.”

A tiny girl handed her the practice arrow. “Here, Thrush Aloy.”

“Thank you. Do you know how to notch it?” She got a blank look and tried again. “How do I put it on?” The child’s face lit up and she hopped up and down with excitement over a Thrush asking for her help, reaching for the bow. Aloy knelt and handed it off, and she struggled a little to get it properly notched. It kept swaying off of the arrow rest, and Aloy waited patiently before gently pulling the girl’s index finger out to catch it and keep it from moving. “Will this help?”

“Oh! Yes! Like this!” Her demonstration was accurate enough. Aloy took the bow back, stood again, and notched it properly before looking at the next boy.

“How do I draw it back?”

“You’re just pretending to not remember how to use a bow,” he accused. He was clearly related to Chiwetel, and around ten or so. “You can’t be a Thrush if you don’t know how to use a bow.”

“Well,” Aloy said as she picked her own bow up, notched an arrow, then casually drew the string back and let the arrow fly after a mere glance at her target, “you might be right.” All of the children stared in awe as the arrow pierced the very center of a moving target three lanes back and over. “But having you all tell me is a good reminder, in case I start doing it wrong. That happens, sometimes, if you don’t refresh yourself once in a while, and teaching someone else is a good way to remember things better, too.”

The smallest girl was tugging at her suede skirt and bouncing up and down. “Thrush Aloy! Thrush Aloy! My turn! My turn!”

Aloy knelt again and gestured to Chiwetel. “Please get everyone their bows and arrows.”

“Yes, Thrush Aloy!” He scampered off as she unslung her own bow, handing the small one to the little girl. “What’s your name?”

“Hatchling Aiyana!” She was so proud of her title. Aloy remembered being that proud, once.

“Ok, Hatchling Aiyana, show me how to stand right.” The other four gathered around her and she moved them into a line, making sure everyone was in the proper position. Aiyana was having a hard time, and her little lips were quivering as she tried her hardest to impress Thrush Aloy, who shot so well. Finally Aloy brought over the posture stand that was used to help new archers and smiled at the girl. “I used to have to use this,” she told her, “when I was first starting to learn archery. It will help you. Do you want to try it?”

Aiyana nodded her head. “You used it?”

“Yeah. I was really little, too, and couldn’t hold a bow very well. It’s ok to need help, sometimes - especially when you’re new.” Aiyana let her help her into the stand, and wiped her eyes before gripping her bow and raising it. “Wonderful. You’re all doing so well. Now, make sure your elbows are out, and draw back carefully. Make sure you don’t pull it across your nose like this, see? Because when you let the string go, you’ll take your nose off, too, and then the Watchers will eat it.” Chiwetel’s brother rolled his eyes. “It’s true. It happened to my brother.” He had mostly warmed up to her, though, especially when she let them rest and practiced a bit, herself. Aiyana had declared herself Aloy’s Thrush by the time their parents arrived to pick them up. Talanah came up next to her and threw an arm around her shoulder.

“You know, you’re really good with kids. You want a job?”

That brought a startled laugh to Aloy’s lips. “Wh, what?”

“No, really. You’re great with the kids - Aiyana adores you. We could use another teacher, too. If you’re able to, you can come in on your off days - it's just two days, maybe a Saturday once in a while, but you'd make some extra money.”

Ersa and Erend were waiting outside for her. “I'd like that, but will that affect my membership?”

“No, I'll work it out. Ersa! When are you joining the Lodge?”

“Just that side of never,” was the cheerful response. “You're all too stuffy for me. Too sneaky. I prefer a more direct approach.” She pounded her fist into her hand with a grin.

“Only Aloy likes bows,” Erend chimed in. “And Avad's too prissy too fight.”

“Oh, I don't know about _that._ He _is_ pretty handy with his sword.” She laughed at the look on his face. “I like to spar with him. Often.”

“Sure - that’s why he comes out on the weekends. Alright. Aloy, think about the offer. I’ll see you Wednesday?”

She smiled and nodded. “Yeah. Thanks.”

“What offer?” Erend wanted to know as they drove off.

“She offered me a part-time job.”

He turned in the front seat with wide eyes. “Whoa, really? You gonna take it? Can she get me a job, too?”

Aloy rolled her eyes. “You can’t stop drinking and partying long enough to make it to school on a regular basis - what makes you think you could hold a job?”

Her younger brother gave her a dirty look and a dirtier gesture. “Piss off.”

“It’s true. You _could_ start pulling your weight a bit - at least pick up after yourself at home.”

“She’s got a point.”

Erend glared at his friend. “What are you, my mother?”

“No, but I know that you’re old enough to help out. Rost works hard for you. Show him a little respect.”

“Yeah? What’ll ya do if I don’t?”

Ersa bared her teeth at him. “I’ll punch your ugly face in.”

“That’s assault! I’m fifteen!”

“That’s old enough to not be a little shit.” There was melancholy violin music drifting out of Avad’s open window when they pulled up to the small two-story house that straddled the slums and the suburbs. Ersa pursed her lips as she reached back and grabbed the overnight bag from the seat next to Aloy. “That boy …”

“What’s up with him, anyway?” Erend had stomped inside. Ersa’s lips thinned even more as she and Aloy got out.

“That’s … it’s not really my business to say. You might ask him, but I don’t know that he’ll tell you. Sorry.”

The house was cold and dark. Aloy snatched the red slip from the door and tore it up. “Of course they’d turn the heat off, too. It’s too much to ask for the power companies to obey the law and keep the heat on when there are minors in the house.”

“Give me your account - I’ll transfer the money.”

Aloy shook her head as she grabbed the flashlight they kept by the door for just such a situation. “No, Rost gets paid on Friday. He staggers the bills - pays one right before they shut it off, then pays another the next month before they shut _that_ one off. His payday just fell late this time. I think I’ll take Talanah up on that job.” She gestured for Ersa to follow her as she headed to the back door. “Come on; I’ll let Nil stay longer if he shares his hot plate with us.”

“Can I ask a personal question?” Aloy stopped and looked at Ersa with a nod. Her friend touched a picture of Elisabet that hung on the wall. “Your mother wasn’t poor - didn’t she leave you all anything? Avad hates it when I ask about her - you don’t have to answer.”

That brought a frustrated puff of air from Aloy’s lips. She brushed her own fingers over her mother’s face. “Yes and no? It’s all tied up somewhere - it’s legal stuff. I don’t understand. We always thought that it would get doled out as we each turned eighteen, but that hasn’t happened so far. Guess we’ll see in a couple of years. Hey, Nil!”

The tent shifted. “Yes?”

“Power’s off again. Share your hot plate and you can stay until Friday.”

“It would be my pleasure. Can I sleep on the couch, too?”

She pursed her lips as he stuck his head out, red feathers on his headdress bending backward and pulling it awkwardly. “You’ll have to ask Rost. Come on in. Bring blankets.”

“I’ll order food.” Ersa shook her finger as she turned on her Focus. “Don’t tell me no, Aloy. I like to earn my keep.”

“But you don’t live here.”

Ersa grinned. “No, but I’m staying the night tonight, so I can treat us to dinner.”

“Avad doesn’t like it when you stay over.”

“Oh, he likes it. He’s just got weird notions of honor. Rost doesn’t care if I stay over or not - I asked. Avad’s just a prude.” She gestured a bit in front of her, then nodded. “Hope you like Vietnamese.”

Aloy nodded as they settled in the living room. “We do. Thank you. Let me call Rost.”

“Sure. I’ll start the fort.”

Ersa started to pull out the few spare blankets they had tucked into the hall closet as Aloy pressed her Focus and waved through her contacts until she got to Rost’s security job. The supervisor on duty popped into existence in front of her with a frown on his face. “Aloy. What’s wrong?”

“Hey, Bartle. Not much - power’s out again. Is Rost available?”

“Yeah, let me call him up. I’ll see if I can get him an advance.”

“You know he’s not going to accept it. We’re ok - it’s not too cold at night yet. We’ve got blankets. And he gets paid Friday. But if you could maybe manually schedule his paychecks so they get deposited a couple days before bills are due, that’d be nice.”

The scrawny man rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I’ll look into it. No promises. You know how corporations are.”

Aloy smiled. “Well, I appreciate it regardless.” Rost appeared behind Bartle. “Hey, Rost.” He nodded curtly. “Power’s out again. I told Nil he could stay until Friday if he shared his hot plate. Ersa’s staying the night and she bought dinner. Talanah offered me a part-time job, and I think I’m going to take it.”

“Ask about the couch!” Nil called from the other room.

“And Nil wants to know if he can sleep on the couch because he’s helping us.”

Her burly stepfather sighed. “Tell Ersa thank you, and Avad to not cry because she’s staying over. If you keep your grades up, I’m ok with the job. You’ll do well in it. Nil can stay until Friday for this, and thank him for the hot plate, but I’m not comfortable with him staying in the house.”

“He’s a scoundrel, not a thief.”

“Regardless. I’ll be home as soon as I can.”

“Don’t worry about us - I’m pretty sure I can hack the Focus to get us a little power, if we’re careful with it. We may all have to sleep in the living room, though.”

He shook his head. “No, that’s fine. Is Erend home?”

Aloy laughed a bit. “Sulking in his room because Ersa and I told him to get a job.”

“Good. Alright. Thank you for letting me know. I have to go.”

She nodded. “Ok. See you soon.”

She got a nod goodbye before the line cut out, then turned to help Nil and Ersa with the blanket fort. “Rost says no on the couch, but thanks for the hot plate.”

“Well, I’m wounded. But I guess it makes sense. Why does everyone hit on you, by the way, yet few people seem to like you?”

Ersa snorted. “Petra and Vanasha again?”

“Yeah.”

“Are you ok with it? They’ll stop if you ask. Or I can ask for you.”

But then she wouldn’t get that fluttering feeling in her chest or the pleasant light-headedness from their attentions. “No, it’s ok. I’ll ask if it bothers me. At least they actually like me. I think everyone else thinks I have access to the Faro fortune. Uncle Ted doesn’t like sharing.”

There was a knock at the door a few minutes later, then the violin music stopped and there were footsteps on the stairs. They were setting the pho up on the coffee table when Avad came in with Erend on his heels. Their older brother looked at them in surprise. “What’s going on? Ersa, why are you here?”

“And Nil gets ignored, as usual.”

Ersa held up a bowl and jerked her head to the spot beside her. “I bought food, and Nil’s letting you guys use his hot plate until Friday. I’m staying over.”

“Rost says not to cry about it.”

For once, Avad accepted it and sat gratefully. “Thank you. You know you don’t have to do this.”

He got a kiss on the cheek and ducked his head with embarrassment. “It’s my pleasure. I’ll ravish you later as payment. I know, I know - it’s not right, I deserve better, blah blah blah. I’m gonna do it anyway.”

“I couldn’t stop you if I wanted to.”

“Sure you could - an honest ‘no’ would do it. Good thing you don’t ever mean it.”

They huddled in the mutual warmth of each other and the blankets until all that was left was Rost’s portion of dinner. Everyone drifted off after that, and Aloy stayed up just long enough to greet Rost and make sure he started eating before heading to bed, herself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *finishes chapter*
> 
> *proofreads chapter*
> 
> *proofreads chapter 20 more times*
> 
> *posts chapter*
> 
> *reads chapter*
> 
> *finds 80 million mistakes*
> 
> *screams*


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> who ordered smut because here's some smut

For having made it herself, Aloy's outfit was a pretty good replica of what was currently fashionable, she thought. The top was straight at the back and sides, then curved up a little in the front to show off her abs and stomach - not nearly as toned as Vanasha’s - unless she chose to wear a longer shirt or bodysuit under it. She hadn't chosen to. Instead she was wearing dark brown leggings under her new suede skirt, which was shorter and tighter than her usual skirt. She'd considered makeup, but she was terrible at it and didn't want to seem too eager for Petra’s and Vanasha’s attention. Her shirt was thick enough, and her breasts small enough, that she didn't need a bra - but she'd gotten too nervous about that and had instead worn the thinnest one she had, a black lace balconette bra with rich purple accents. She'd tried it on on a whim, felt incredibly sexy in it, and had put it in the shopping basket without saying a word to Rost. He'd just nodded and hadn't brought it or the matching panties up again. She checked herself in her mirror and then sat on the bed as she worked up the courage to go outside to meet the two when they arrived, her body warm with anticipation and her nethers tingling slightly. Their lips against her cheeks had been warm and soft. Aloy crossed her arms over her stomach and bit her lower lip and wondered what their lips would feel like on her own, what their hands would feel like on her body as she trailed one hand across her stomach and up under her shirt and the other under her skirt and to her inner thighs, resting her thumb against the juncture of her leg and torso and moving it slightly. She rubbed the rough lace of her bra over her nipple and bit her lip harder while her breathing increased. She wanted them both to kiss her - she sort of wanted them both to kiss her at the same time. Vanasha would appreciate her strong thighs and the delicate skin there, and Petra would love her neck and breasts. Aloy loosened her skirt and slid her hand under it and her leggings, then pinched her nipple before pulling the miniscule cup of her bra down and squeezing her breast. She let out a soft moan as she let her head fall back and licked her lips.

There was a noise in the hallway and Aloy paused in case one of her brothers heard her, and after the footsteps had faded she pinched her labia between her first two fingers and rubbed them up and down with tiny gasps and whines. Vanasha would want to kiss her there, and Aloy wanted to let her. She wanted Petra’s lips and tongue on her breasts. Her panties were soaked. It was logical, then, for Aloy to slide them, her leggings, and her skirt off. She slid her index finger between her labia and down slowly until the tip of her finger pressed gently against the entrance to her vagina, then pulled it up and over her clit quickly. Down slow, up quick, laying on her back and spreading her legs apart as she gasped as quietly as she could, the thought of Vanasha’s tongue between her legs and Petra’s sex against her mouth making her eyes roll back in her head. Aloy rolled to the side as one of her brothers walked past her door again. She squeezed her legs together and bit her pillow to muffle her moans, pressing her first two fingers into herself, trying to get off as quickly as possible before Erend burst in without knocking or Petra and Vanasha showed up.

She was nearly to the point of orgasm, squeezing her breasts hard enough to hurt, when there was a loud knock on her door. She almost shrieked with surprise and jerked upright, trying to smooth her hair and fix her clothes before her door was opened. _“What?”_ she demanded.

“Petra and Vanasha are here. Damn, they're hot. Think they'd let me watch?”

She was a hot mess. A hot, throbbing, soaking wet mess who wanted to watch them have sex, herself. “Shut up and go away.”

“Fine, whatever.”

She had wet wipes and cleaned her hand and thighs off, then pressed a new one against her face to try to cool her flushed cheeks. She hoped it would work. She was down the stairs before she realized she'd remembered to put new panties on - the ones that matched her bra - but had forgotten her leggings. Her thighs were bare to the cool air of the late afternoon. She shivered, but it was mostly because of the wide-eyes looks that Petra and Vanasha were giving her. Petra already had the car jacked up. Rost had gotten a ride to work in order for them to work on it.

“I know I said I wanted some eye candy, but I never thought you'd actually do it. Come here, let us hug you.” Aloy found herself sandwiched between the two, with Vanasha’s hands over her lower belly and Petra’s resting just at the top of her rear, and Aloy bit her lip again in order to not groan as the lengths of their bodies pressed against hers. She lowered her head and rested her forehead in the crook of Petra’s neck and tried not to arch her hips into the other woman's thigh as it pressed gently between her legs. “Aren't you just a beautiful little thing,” was the husky whisper in her ear. Aloy squeezed her eyes shut and shivered.

“It's my turn.” They turned her around and the process repeated with Vanasha in front of her. “Oh, little huntress. _Any_ time you want kissed, we're happy to oblige.”

Aloy was on the verge of asking when the front door banged open and the hug broke up. “Hey! That's my sister!”

“Yeah, well, she's not _our_ sister,” Vanasha yelled back. “Go away, Erend.”

“We're not doing anything wrong,” Aloy told him as she pulled away and sat on the hood of Vanasha’s car.

“In _that_ outfit? You're just _begging_ to get fucked.”

She made a disgusted face. “I am not!” She was, actually - she really was. “And even _if_ that were true, it's none of _your_ business. _You_ have sex with anything that moves.”

“You're ridiculous,” was Petra’s comment as she moved to the car and knelt to start taking off the first tire. “Get out of here.”

“Erend!” It was Avad calling for him, and he stomped off in a huff. Petra flipped him off as he went.

“What a dick.” Vanasha sat next to Aloy and adjusted the sheer silk of her outfit. It was made up of layers in order to keep her privates hidden, but this close to her, Aloy could see her dark nipples and licked her lips as she tried not to stare. She wanted to taste them. Vanasha put her hand on her bare thigh and gave it a friendly squeeze. Her panties were as sheer as her bra - there were going to be wet marks on the car by the time Petra was done. “Are you ok?”

Vanasha had leaned in close, her breath hot on Aloy's ear and neck. It prompted a delicious shiver and an involuntary thigh squeeze. Vanasha squeezed back. Aloy forgot how to breathe. She cleared her throat several times and nodded her head rapidly. She got another squeeze and balled her hands into tight fists.

“God, that's hot.” Petra was looking them up and down and licking her lips. “Wanna trade off after I get the second brake on? If Aloy's ok with it.”

Somehow Vanasha’s hand had moved up a centimeter or two before where her thigh met her body and Aloy was perfectly ok with that. She shrugged and mumbled a bit before she was able to speak clearly. “I don't want you to get too tired.”

“I didn't exactly dress for hard labor, but sure. I shouldn't get to have _all_ the fun.”

“Oh, it looks like Aloy's getting her fair share of it.”

Aloy wondered if she should just admit that she wanted to have sex with them but was a virgin, and get it all over with. She was pretty sure that they could tell she was aroused by their attentions. She was rarely physically attracted to anyone, but when it happened, it _happened,_ and she was positive that Petra and Vanasha would make her first experience with a woman (or women, as the case would most likely be) a wonderful one. “I just _really_ like vehicle repairs,” was her light response, instead.

That brought laughter from the two. When Petra was done, Aloy declared that she would make them a snack and a drink and escaped into the house. She splashed her face with water and debated changing her panties, too, but rebelled and decided against it. It turned her on to know that she was outside in relative public, in a short skirt, with wet panties and the two women who had made them so wet, who would gladly go to bed with her if she asked. She liked being desired by them. She was humming when Avad came up next to her with a frown.

“What’s up?” she asked him. 

He pursed his lips. “Petra and Vanasha are, uhm …”

“Doing us an amazing favor.”

“No, I mean … are you sure that outfit is a good idea?”

“Why wouldn't it be? _I'm_ not doing the work.”

“No, that's …” He was getting flustered and she thought she knew why. “I just … I don't want them to take advantage of you.”

Aloy pushed away from the counter with a disgusted sigh. He was killing her buzz. “Really? _Really? You_ go to bed with Ersa _all the time,_ but _I'm_ not allowed to even _flirt_ with anyone? Are you _serious?_ Even _if_ I wanted them, they're not going to do _anything_ other than flirt with me until _I_ start something - _not that it's any of **your** business.”_ She picked up the tray of sandwiches and pitcher of lemonade and shoved past him as he protested. “You and Erend suck. You're damn hypocrites, both of you.”

“Aloy!”

She stomped out and took a moment to take a deep breath and shake her head before smiling and heading back to Petra and Vanasha. “Sorry for the wait. Avad is being an ass.”

Petra took the tray, her fingers rubbing against Aloy's, and set it on the hood of her car. “I'm sorry. Ersa hasn't been around in a while?”

That got a snort. “He's just a hypocrite. I don't care.”

“Good. I don't like my eye candy upset.”

Aloy laughed and tucked a braid behind her ear. “Well, you're fixing our car for free. I can be eye candy in return for that.”

“Oh, I _like_ it when you flirt.” Petra sat on the hood of the car after finishing her sandwich and patted her leg. “C’mere.”

“Oh, let me get a chair.” Aloy hurried up to the porch and grabbed the wicker chair here, bringing it back and angling it so Petra could sit in it and watch Vanasha work. Sit in it she did, and patted her leg again. Aloy hesitated a bit. “As long as my honor is safe with you.”

“It's safe until you want it not to be.” She laughed and sat on Petra’s lap, letting her wrap an arm around her waist and rest her hand on her upper thigh. After the third brake was done, Petra started to rub her back with her free hand. Aloy wiggled into the pressure - not least because it felt good between her legs as she straddled Petra’s thigh - and as Petra slid her hand up Aloy's shirt she let out a soft hum of pleased surprise when her fingers brushed against the lace bra band. “What have we _here?”_ she murmured. She didn't linger, just continued her massage as Aloy let her head fall forward with a soft groan. “Are you wearing sexy underwear?”

“It's what was clean,” was Aloy's whispered half-lie. She was going to orgasm from Petra’s touch alone. She took a deep breath, wondering how far was too far to take this. “The panties match.”

Petra’s voice was a little ragged. “I'd like to see that.”

She was suddenly hesitant. “Uhm …”

“At least the bra. I might buy one for Vanasha if she likes it, too.”

“Ok.” Aloy nodded. Vanasha stood up and walked over, wiping her hands on a greasy rag. “There's a hose around the car port. You can use that to wash off.”

“Aloy's going to show us her pretty bra,” Petra told her girlfriend.

Vanasha raised her eyebrows. “Really? You're ok with that?” Aloy was already nodding. Vanasha trailed a finger down her cheek and over her lips. “You look like _you_ might need a hose-down, too.” She tugged at Aloy's skirt with a wink.

Aloy just turned and led them around to the back of the car port. Once there, she bent at the waist to turn the hose on, rather than kneeling. She got appreciative murmurs. “Well, here.” She watched them wash their hands off and tugged nervously at the bottom of her shirt as she leaned against the wall of the house. She cleared her throat when they both stood up and looked at her. “Ah, it's really cheap. You can probably find a better-quality one. But it's what we could afford.”

She paused long enough for Petra to smile gently. “You can just send me the store you got it at, or the brand.”

That made Aloy shake her head. If she didn't show them now, who knew if she'd have the courage later. “No, it's fine.” They weren't going to touch her without her permission. She eased her shirt up and tried to take slow, even breaths. It didn't work. The two women let out small gasps of delight as they broke into smiles. The black lace just barely covered her nipples but couldn't hide how hard they were. She knew her face was flushed. “Do you like it?”

“I think we like _all_ of it.” Petra raised her hand a little. “May we touch it?”

That was a mundane and reasonable request. Aloy nodded. “Oh, sure.” She twisted so they could touch the sides, and as Vanasha’s hand joined Petra’s, the darker woman slid it behind Aloy's back to feel the band and clasps. Aloy closed her eyes and leaned her head against the wall with a soft sigh. It may have turned into short, tiny moans as they continued to stroke her bra and skin.

“My God, you're beautiful.” Vanasha whispered it against her neck and Aloy shivered as she tilted her head the other way, hoping she wouldn't have to ask Vanasha to kiss it. “Are the cups … soft?”

That brought Aloy a bit back to reality and she nodded as she reached back and undid the bra. “Mostly. Sort of. Part of them. Here, feel.” She realized what she'd done when she felt the cool air against her nipples and saw their jaws drop a little, but just arched her chest out a bit as her eyes flitted anywhere but them.

“Ok, then.” Petra ran her fingers beneath the underwire. She kept them curled towards the bra, but the backs of them still rubbed against the front and sides of Aloy's breast. After waiting to see if Aloy would protest rather than squirm a little and shake, Vanasha felt the other cup. “Do you want one, Vanasha?”

“I think I do. I really think I do.” They were both leaning toward her and resting one arm against the wall for support, breathing not quite as shaky as Aloy's but close enough. Their fingers were relaxed enough to occasionally catch one of her nipples between them, and Aloy let out a sharp moan each time as stinging pleasure radiated outward from them and her clit. She could feel how swollen her nethers were and how wet her thighs were, and gripped the hem of her skirt before inching it up.

“The … the panties match,” she told them as she panted.

She held her knees together as Petra nodded and Vanasha drew back to look down, then gently touched the top of them. Aloy arched her hips forward a bit. “That they do.” She slid the tips of her fingers beneath the elastic and rubbed them back and forth for a moment until Aloy's legs parted, then gripped her thigh and moved it out and up as Petra moved her own thigh between Aloy's. “Is this ok?”

Aloy was staring up at the window sill of her room. She didn't think she could sneak them past her brothers. “Uh-huh …”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah …” Her thigh was closed around Petra’s and Petra moved her own just a little. Aloy's gasp was loud enough that she was shushed with giggles, then Petra let out her own soft moan when Aloy clenched her legs and started to rock against her. She started to move, too, as Vanasha returned to fingering Aloy's bra.

“May I touch your breasts?”

Aloy arched her back and pushed her chest out with a nod. “Yes, please.” Vanasha turned her hand around and cupped her breast, rolling her nipple between her thumb and forefinger as she and Petra breathed heavily against Aloy's neck. Aloy herself gripped their hair and let out tiny moans as quietly as she could. Petra twisted a bit at one point and dropped her hand, and Aloy was a bit confused until Vanasha’s own gasp told her that Petra’s hand was down her girlfriend's skirt. She was grasped and rubbed until she was once again on the verge of an orgasm, only to be once again clit-blocked by her siblings.

“Aloy? Aloy!”

That brought swears all around and a hurried cleanup of fingers and thighs and the redoing of clothing, then Aloy popped back around the car port and hoped Avad didn't notice anything amiss. “Right here! Car’s done. We were just cleaning off. What's up?”

He gave all three of them a suspicious look until deciding that Aloy wasn't brazen enough to do anything sexual outside. “Teb and Varl are coming over. Teb finished mending the clothes.”

“Oh, great! Ten points to Teb!”

“... Right. Well, since the car’s done, I presume that you two ladies will be on your way?”

Aloy glared at him. “Why are you being so rude? They didn't _have_ to do this for us.” He didn't have a good response, so he just turned around and went back into the house. Aloy kicked a rock in his direction. “I'm sorry, you two.”

Petra was grinning as she gathered her tools. “Don't be. Are you ok?”

She gave her a significant look and Aloy pursed her lips a little before answering. “... Yeah.”

“Are you sure?” Vanasha asked.

“Yeah?”

They nodded, and she once again got a kiss on either cheek. “Ok. We'll check in on you on Monday, just in case you stop being ok.”

Aloy grinned and hugged them before they got in the car. “Thanks. See you then. I've got to, uh, go take care of some things.”

That got her a laugh. “You're not alone. It'll be a wonder if we don't have to stop by the side of the road,” Petra assured her.

Aloy waved until they were gone and then bolted up to her room, ignoring Erend and Avad and slamming her door closed before locking it. She was already fingering herself when she fell back on her bed, and she'd had three orgasms - back and hips arching up and heels digging into her mattress as she gasped and whined - before she was even remotely sated. She rested until she'd caught her breath, then threw a robe on and tottered on weak knees to the bathroom, where the shower was hot and another orgasm waited for her. Avad and Erend were in the living room when she finally dressed and went downstairs for dinner. She'd missed Teb’s and Varl’s visit, but she didn't care.

“Aloy ---”

“Don't talk to me. I'm mad at both of you.” She took her dinner out to the front porch and turned some music on to get her point across. She bundled up and stayed out there until Rost got home. He just shook his head and chuckled as he got out of Bartle’s car. “What?”

He sat next to her and laughed for a bit longer before digging in to his dinner. When he was done, he sat back with another laugh. “Your birth control is up to date?”

Aloy narrowed her eyes. “It's got three years left.”

“Good. You know how to protect yourself against STDs?”

“Yep. Sex and relationship ed covers that each year.”

He stood and clapped her on the shoulder. “Excellent. Then just be quiet if you're here, and everything else is nobody's business but yours. Goodnight, Aloy.”

She twisted on the porch couch as he opened the front door, furious. “Erend and Avad called you, didn't they?” He just laughed again. “Didn't they?” she called. “I'm going to kill them! They're dead! I hate them!”

“Don't get caught,” was Rost’s only reply.

“Those stupid damn idiots.” Aloy got up and snarled to herself as she locked the house down and brought the dishes to the kitchen. She wanted to stomp, but Rost needed to sleep. “Telling on me. I hate them. It's none of their business. I hate them.” Rost didn't help the next day, laughing every time he looked at any of them. Her brothers _did_ look like he'd read them the riot act, but she ignored everyone and put her headphones on, eventually taking some food into her room and locking herself in for the rest of the day. She hated them all. They were going to be sorry that they’d tattled like she'd done something wrong. They were going to be _very_ sorry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> joke's on u
> 
> it was me
> 
> i ordered smut  
> *  
> *  
> *  
> *  
> Hey, so, not only do I work really hard to write engaging, entertaining stories, but I do it for free. I don't plan on changing that, however, if you like my work and would like to pitch in to help me pay the bills, you can always toss me some change via [PayPal](https://www.paypal.me/LarissaFae) and I would be so incredibly overjoyed.
> 
> Thank you!


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eclipse is a bunch of enigmatically helpful dicks, honest conversations make for healthy relationships, boundaries are established, and Aloy learns how to kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **+MAMA LARISSA MODE+**  
>  Honest conversations about sex and relationships, and what _you_ want and need, are hard, but they're absolutely necessary to a healthy relationship (and not something that's included in fiction, fan or original, nearly enough). The more you like someone(s), the more difficult it can be to talk about your wants and needs and to set boundaries. Sometimes you'd rather be stuck in a room full of nails being dragged down chalkboards than have these conversations, but a relationship can't thrive with no communication, or if one or both partners aren't having their needs fulfilled or boundaries set and followed.
> 
> So buck up, buttercups, and have these conversations. You need to be able to trust yourself and your partner(s) enough to be honest with each other, otherwise it's not a relationship worth being in.  
>  **+/MLM+**

Monday was cold. Aloy had bundled up for the rain, running out of the house early so she didn’t have to deal with her brothers. She’d missed spending time with Rost on his one day off in two weeks because she hadn’t been able to stand being near them - which was her own fault, as she could have just ignored them, but she was mad at them for it nonetheless. A sleek black car pulled up alongside her and matched her pace for a minute or so before finally finding the turn it was looking for. The frigid air burned in her lungs. She was more capable of taking care of herself than the two of them put together, but they still insisted on trying to coddle her - and their insistence on Saturday of meddling in what they assumed was her sex life, even though _both_ of them were _far_ more sexually active than she was, still burned in her mind and on her cheeks. Ending up around back of the car port with her shirt and skirt hiked up, pressed against the wall and groped by Vanasha and Petra both, hadn’t been that great an idea, she conceded, and she still wasn’t entirely sure of how she felt about it - other than that she more than half-wished they hadn’t been interrupted. But Erend - and Avad, of all people - deciding that friends who had been over before were suddenly a sexual threat to her, and actively trying to interfere and be rude to them, was too much. It wasn’t their business. Petra and Vanasha were within her legal age range for sexual activity; her brothers had no right to think that her sex life was their concern.

It occurred to Aloy that the black car hadn’t, in fact, actually turned - it had simply gone around the block and was pacing her again. She stopped jogging and ran up to it, kicking the driver door in what could potentially turn out to be the most stupendously ill-thought-out act of anger that she’d ever displayed.

“What do you want?” she demanded as she kicked the door again. “Who are you?” Kick. “Why are you following me?” Kick. It was starting to dent. Her foot was starting to get sore when the window finally rolled down, and a dark-skinned Eclipse member stared impassively out at her.

“Are you finished, Miz Sobeck?” she asked.

Aloy snarled and gave the door one more good, hard kick, then leaned over with her hands on her knees and panted while nodding. “Yeah. For now.”

“Good. Helis sends his regards.”

“Great. I don’t care. What do you want?” The rain was dribbling down her neck.

“It’s raining, Miz Sobeck ---”

“Really? I thought we were in a drought.”

“As I was saying,” the other woman went on, “it’s raining, and we would like to offer you a ride to school.”

Aloy snorted. “Nuh-uh. I know better than to accept rides from strangers. I’ll walk.”

“We insist, Miz Sobeck.”

 _”You_ insist, or _Helis_ insists?”

The woman’s face remained impassive. “Yes. Will you get in?”

Well, Helis _had_ paid her hospital bill. Aloy didn’t know what he wanted, exactly, but the car was dry and she could feel the warmth of the heater on her cheeks. He probably didn’t want her dead. “What a stand-up guy. Sure.” The front passenger door opened and another Eclipse member got out, coming around the back to open the rear driver door, holding an umbrella over Aloy’s head. “Wow, five-star treatment. Nice.” She settled in and wondered where the police would find her body at. “So, why’s Helis so interested in my welfare?”

“Helis is interested in the welfare of all citizens.”

She laughed as the car pulled away. “Yeah, that’s why Eclipse has killed so many civilians. Right.” Still, best not to push her luck. Maybe they’d find bits and pieces of her. “Just drop me off a block or so away. And tell him thanks. I guess.”

“Of course, Miz Sobeck.”

They were silent until Aloy asked them to pull over, silent when she gave her thanks again, and silent as they drove away. Aloy filed the incident under Things Not To Tell Her Family. It wasn’t a big list, but there were still things they didn’t need to know. She slid into her desk just as the final bell was ringing. Professor Sylens dropped a towel on her head.

“Please make sure you don’t get sick, Sobeck.”

“How’d you know I’d need a towel?” She rubbed at her hair and wiped at her neck and arms.

“Your brother said you’d left home early. He didn’t say why.”

“Oh, _now_ he keeps his big mouth shut.” She connected her holo-tab and pulled up her homework. She settled in to ignore him the rest of the class, concentrating more on what had happened on Saturday. She wasn’t completely sure she _was_ ok with it, despite what she’d told Petra and Vanasha. She felt … Well, she’d liked it. A lot. She wasn’t sure she’d do much of it differently, if she could. But she’d been pressed against the wall and hiking her skirt and shirt up while two women felt her up, their hands nearly down her panties. They hadn’t even kissed her - but then, she hadn’t asked, just hoped that they would.

Maybe it had been the lack of communication - the lack of more specific communication, rather. Petra and Vanasha had done their share of checking in with her, but she herself had done very little other than writhe and try to take her clothes off. She’d told them she was alright - and she had been, in the moment. She’d quite like to do it all again, in fact, but … easing into it a bit more. And not in public like that. Aloy nodded to herself as she stood up and walked out, uploading the rest of the week’s homework to shut Professor Sylens up. He was fine with her skipping class - and still marked her present - so long as her basic work for the entire week was done and she’d finished all the extra work he gave her. It was his general policy for all his students; he didn’t care what they did or where they were, but God help them if their work wasn’t done on time or before. Aloy tucked herself away in the corner of the cafeteria and read as she processed her feelings - a little difficult to do when thinking about Saturday got her hot and tingly all over again. She’d really let her hormones take over. She didn’t like losing control.

*

Petra found her first. She was hiding under an overhang outside, idly pressing on her half-numb nose, amused by the feeling.

“Hey, little spark. How are you feeling?”

“A bit confused,” Aloy admitted. Her heart was in her throat, but this communication was important. “I …” She didn’t want to stutter, so took her time speaking instead. “... haven’t ever … done anything like that … before. With anyone.” Petra crouched in front of her and nodded, eyes slightly to the side, not looking directly at Aloy. It was comforting. “So … I don’t like losing control, but … I did. A little. I liked it - I _really_ liked it, but … I don’t want to do it again. Right now. Any time soon. For now. You didn’t pressure me into anything, I just ... let my hormones take over. I don’t want you two to think that I used you. I’m just … not as ready as I thought I was.”

Petra nodded and waited until she was sure Aloy was done. “I’m glad you enjoyed yourself, and I’m sorry it upset you. We’ll stop flirting with you, if you’d like.”

“Oh, no, I like the flirting.”

She got a small chuckle at her quick response and another nod. “Ok. We’ll tone it down, then.”

“I was ok at the time. I just … felt weird … after.”

“Well, we didn’t even really get to kiss you. That’s kind of a crucial step to miss. I’m sorry about that. And, you know, hormones are hard to keep control of sometimes. Especially if you’re a virgin.”

Aloy nodded. “Yeah, it’s really different when there are other people involved.”

“How about we just admire you from a distance for a while?”

“I’m ok with that. Thank you.”

Petra finally looked at her and grinned. “We try not to molest anyone without their permission. Are we ok?”

“Yeah. Thank you.” She _did_ feel better, and stood and gave Petra a hug. “I appreciate you both.”

“We do try to please, little spark. I’ll let Vanasha know. Don’t ever hook up with anyone you don’t want to. Especially Nil.”

“What about Nil?” he asked as he rounded the corner. Why he wasn’t freezing in his silk harem pants and vest with no shirt, Aloy didn’t know.

She rolled her eyes at him. “I want to ravish you and have your babies. Petra is holding the burning of my loins at bay.”

They both got a slow blink as Nil frowned and held one finger to his lips. Then, “Who are you, and what have you done with Aloy?”

That got him laughed at as they walked past him. “I’m taking the job at the Lodge. I let Talanah know yesterday. And I think I want to take the military courses that Sona offered.” Vanasha was in front of them with eyebrows raised, questioning how the talk had gone, and Aloy hugged her. “We’re ok. Petra will tell you everything.” She’d done her adult communicating for the day - Petra could take it from there.

“Excellent! Are you staying in school _and_ taking the classes?”

“Ears like a bat’s sonar,” Aloy laughed. She felt lighter, better. Relieved. They were still her friends, and they understood. “Yeah, I’m staying here. I don’t know what the class schedule will be like, or if I’ll be able to take courses from home. We’ll see. It seems like a great program.”

“That’s wonderful. It’ll work better for you than whatever Professor Sylens has you doing on the side.” They laughed again as they parted and headed to their respective next classes.

*

Three weeks later, Aloy was dead on her feet as she got out of Sona’s car and trudged up to the house. Varl waited until she’d gotten inside and had flickered the porch light before he drove off. The house was dark, and she had to hit the sensor three times before getting enough of her palm on it to be registered to shut everything down. There was a sharp gasping from the living room that made her stop as she passed it. The lights were off, but _someone_ was breathing heavily, trying to be quiet, and she groaned.

“If you’re still blowing him when I turn these lights on, so help me …”

Ersa’s laugh was muffled, but her voice after it wasn’t. “I’m sorry, what? If I’m still what, you say? I’m offended you would suggest such a thing.”

The lights flicked on and Aloy pointed to her feet. “Your pants fell off somehow, Avad.” Her brother was sitting on the couch, shirtless and facing away from her, and wasn’t turning around. Ersa was resting her arms and chin on the back of it as she grinned. “Surely you wouldn’t be doing _sexual_ things where your family could walk in on you. And is that outfit _really_ a good idea, anyway?”

“I already apologized,” he snapped. “Will you just let it go?”

“No,” Aloy snapped back. “I won’t ‘just let it go.’ You and Erend are assholes.”

“You really _shouldn’t_ have said anything,” Ersa chimed in. She wiped her mouth off and leaned over to kiss his cheek. He jerked his head away. “Goodnight, Aloy,” she said in a sing-song voice.

“Goodnight, Ersa. Avad, I hope you can’t get it up the rest of the night.” She put her day's kills in the freezer and stomped up to her room, followed closely by Ersa’s howls of laughter. She flopped onto her bed and made a half-hearted attempt to wiggle out of her clothes. She hadn’t expected working with the Hatchlings to _also_ include clean-up after the Lodge closed. It didn’t bother her - it was just far more of a workout than she’d been expecting, and she was accordingly sore. One of the perks had been some night hunting, though, and she was grateful for the meat. She'd taken down a turkey and a couple of rabbits, and even a fox, which she planned on turning into a nice pair of gloves for Rost - Talanah would let her use the Lodge’s tanning facilities. She could use some of the turkey feathers for decoration, as well. Rost wasn't what could be considered a fashionable man; his tastes were simple and rustic, on the verge of being primitive. Aloy thought that that simplicity must have been part of what had attracted her mother to him. He didn't play in the politics of the city and would prefer to be living his simple life back in Alaska, but had moved for Elisabet and stayed for her children. They didn't appreciate him nearly enough.

*

Petra and Vanasha were headed off-campus for lunch the next day, and Aloy half-jogged to catch up to them. “Hey! Where are you going for lunch?”

Vanasha slung her arm around her waist with a grin. “Yumiko’s Diner. Wanna come with us?”

She'd been eating lunch with them once a week since their … shenanigans, as Nil might say. Their flirting was noticeably more subdued and Aloy was more comfortable with their casual touching and hugging. She wasn't normally a touchy-feely person. “Yeah, I'd like that. My treat - I just got paid.” Maybe she'd ask them to kiss her this time.

“That's sweet of you, thank you. We'll get something cheap.”

“I can pay more, really.”

“I know,” Petra told her, “but it's impolite to order expensive things on another's dime. Besides, you should save your money for something other than helping with the bills and feeding others. You deserve nice things.”

That got a bit of a laugh. “Oh, I'm saving for a better bow. If I get Blazing Suns at all the Hunting Grounds, I'll get all the of the Lodge weapons, but I need a better bow for now. Teb is helping me budget.”

“Teb’s just hoping you'll finally notice him.”

She shrugged at Vanasha’s observance. “He knows I know, and he knows I don't feel the same, and he respects that - he's also out of my legal range. He's a good man.”

“Can't argue with _that.”_

They were halfway through their meal when the other two women started nudging each other under the table and giving each other significant looks. Aloy, seated next to Vanasha, raised an eyebrow. “Am I missing something?”

They nudged each other for a moment longer before Vanasha apparently lost. “Well, we’re not really dance people, but the Winter Formal is next month, and we were wondering if you’d like to go with us. Not as a date, or anything. We’re not asking you to date us.”

Aloy’s eyebrows had raised in interest, then furrowed. “Oh. These lunches aren’t dates?”

They got quiet, then Petra tilted her head a little. “We … hadn’t been … considering them dates. Have you?”

That was a very good question, one Aloy didn’t have an answer for. She shrugged as she shook her head. “I don’t know. Do you want them to be?”

 _“Yes,”_ was their enthusiastic answer, then Vanasha cleared her throat. “But we’re not asking. We’ll date the hell out of you if you want, but until then, you’re a very good friend. Do you _want_ to date us?”

She looked between them and made a slightly distressed face. “I don’t know. Do I need to know?”

“Oh, she is _precious,”_ Petra cooed. Aloy was sure she was red. “I’m sure you’ll eventually want to know, but we’re honestly ok with how things are now. We’re not going to push you either way - not on purpose.”

“Oh. Okay. Thank you. I’ll think about the dance.”

“Yeah, sure. We better head back.”

It was a point of pride for Aloy to pay for their food, and she made a note to take Rost out for lunch on his next day off. She’d stop by the store and buy more food on the way home from school, too. Nil was back in the backyard again, so she’d also buy him some lamb curry for dinner, just to shut him up - he hated being left out of things he had no business being involved with in the first place. He always paid her back in some form or another, anyway. Petra and Vanasha dropped her off outside of the gym, and she barely had time to change before class started - she ended up grabbing a pole and vaulting over a set of removable bleachers that were in her way in order to backflip into her spot just as Mr. Two Moons got to her. She had a waiver to skip gym due to her enrollment with the Hunters’ Lodge, but they didn’t offer gymnastics and she liked the class, so she did that after lunch. Mr. Two Moons just shook his head, marked her present, and moved on. After she got home that night, she put the groceries away and kicked the door to the backyard before opening it.

“Hey, Nil.”

_“What.”_

“Don’t get snippy with me - I brought you dinner. Lamb curry. You want it or not?”

The tent had been unzipped and he was crawling out of it before she’d finished speaking. She was lifted into a hug and spun around before he grabbed the bag and pulled her back to the tent, which smelled of chicken curry. He grinned at her. “Funny, because I got _you_ curry. Extra naan.”

They crawled in and sat cross-legged on the floor, divvying up the food. “Uh-huh. And what if I hadn’t brought you dinner?”

“I’d have eaten it.”

“So you _didn’t_ buy me dinner - you bought _you_ dinner, and are trying to weasel me into being grateful for you giving me the dinner you bought for yourself because I bought _you_ dinner.”

He blinked at her and took his feathered headdress off, his coarse black hair flopping over his eyes. “Exactly.” With the extra naan and the fact that hers was coconut chicken, which he didn’t like, that clearly wasn’t the case. Aloy just shrugged and let him pretend he was entirely heartless. “They found another body.” She rolled her eyes. “It’s probably one of Jiran’s. It matches with the rest.”

“Nil,” she said with her mouth half-full, “I’m eating.”

“And I’m just making conversation. I tried to see it, but they had the area blocked off. Marad was there, so I left. Didn’t want him to think I had anything to do with it. Do you think that he really had a hand in killing Jiran before the trial?”

“There are a lot of rumors about Jiran in general. I’m sure Detective Marad has followed all the legal processes at his disposal. It was just a series of … unfortunately fortunate … events.”

Nil just rolled his eyes and shook his head. “I think he helped. He’s not as blameless as he presents himself.”

“And I’m sure that if that were true, bad things would happen to people who found out. Have you ever kissed anyone?”

The sudden change of topic - and the new topic itself - had Nil choking on his curry. Aloy let him suffer for a moment before scooting around him on her knees and giving him several hard thumps on the back. He downed an entire glass of water before looking back at her with the most disconcerted, uncomfortable look he’d ever given her.

“C-come again?” He coughed and pounded his chest with one fist. “What?”

She was sure he had. Probably. She crawled back to her plate and took a bite, enjoying his discomfort for a moment. “Have you ever kissed anyone?”

“And what, pray tell, brings _this_ question on? Surely you don’t _actually_ harbor a secret passion for me. You won’t even take out gangs with me - that’s a deal-breaker, right there.”

He got an eye-roll. “I was just curious.”

And not nearly subtle enough, apparently, because he broke into the delighted sort of grin that said he knew a dirty secret and was going to mercilessly exploit it. She hated him, sometimes. He leaned forward with his teeth bared. “Are you asking me to kiss you, Aloy?”

She looked away with a flush on her cheeks. “Tch, _no.”_

He laughed. “Oh, really? Are you sure? Because let me guess - and this is just a random theory - _you’re_ interested in someone; or two someones; but you’ve never been kissed, so you’re shy about asking them to kiss you.” Aloy scoffed and concentrated on her plate. “No, hear me out - and _because_ you’ve never been kissed and want to impress them, you’re looking for kissing practice somewhere else. Say, with just about the only non-related male you know who _isn’t_ head-over-heels in love with you.”

Aloy threw a pillow at him, scowling, then picked up her plate and scooted toward the front of the tent. “I’m leaving.”

“Wait!” He was laughing, and reached out to tug on her skirt. “I didn’t say no! Oh, our sweet, precious Aloy is growing up into a woman. Come back. Aloy!”

She whirled back around and smacked his hand away. “Stop making fun of me. I didn’t ask you for a damn thing.”

But he _did_ know that that was where she’d been trying to head, clearly. Nil leaned back against the small chest he kept clothes in, still grinning at her. “Me? Of course not. Why would I make fun of you? It’s not _your_ fault your brothers barely let you out of their sight - though you _do_ tend to end up in a bit of a pickle when they do. I would almost think that you do it on purpose.” He waved his hand. “But regardless. No, of course you wouldn’t ask me to kiss you. That’s entirely unlike you. Now, _myself,_ on the other hand - that _is_ something I would ask, if only to make you blush, because making people uncomfortable is something I find hilarious. So. Aloy. Will you kiss me? Please?” She’d moved back to her original seat, which was close enough for him to lean forward and take her hand. He rubbed the back of it with his thumb as he pulled just slightly, and the gentle, continuous touch made her heart flutter. She settled on her knees in front of him and just looked at him. He arched an eyebrow, the amusement never leaving his gray eyes.

“Well?” He was still rubbing her hand. His touch was uncomfortably gentle.

Nil raised polite eyebrows. “Well, what?”

“What do I do?”

“... You know what kissing is. I know you do.”

Her body was reacting to his touch and what she wanted and why she wanted it and Aloy didn’t like it so she jerked her hand back and rubbed it firmly with a frown. “That’s not ---”

“It depends on how you want to be kissed,” he interrupted. “Do _you_ want to initiate it? Do you want the _other_ person to initiate it? Do you want a soft kiss, or a hard one? Do you need to be ‘convinced’ to kiss me? Here ---” He pushed up onto his knees and grabbed her hand again, pulling her forward until their torsos pressed against one another, his other hand cupping her cheek with his palm firmly under the side of her chin in order to keep her from moving. It was sudden enough that Aloy could only stiffen and take a sharp breath in, then his eyes were centimeters in front of hers, expressionless. “Well?” he murmured after a moment.

Her fight-or-flight reflex had failed her. Aloy just stared at him as her heart raced and he waited patiently for her to respond. She wasn’t afraid, she was just in a bit of shock over the suddenness of his movement and the way he was holding her - which was almost alarmingly gentle, her brain finally figured out. His hand was pressed against her face, but not digging in; it was curved just enough to follow the contours of her cheek. The hand that held hers behind him was curled around her wrist barely tight enough to keep a hold of it. His body was warm against hers, the rise and fall of his chest steady and even. He was going to wait until either she pulled away or kissed him, or gave him permission to kiss her. Aloy swallowed and took a deep breath. Her heart was starting to slow down and ease out of panic mode, only to start beating faster again as butterflies of a different sort filled her stomach. It wasn’t Nil himself that she wanted, she finally decided. She was just … horny. Not that he wasn’t attractive, but she’d never wanted to kiss him or anything, past a sudden thought that he might show her what it was like with no strings attached. She wasn’t sure this had been the best idea.

Aloy closed her eyes and rested her forehead on his collarbone. She let her breath out in a soft sigh when he moved the hand holding her wrist to her hip, and the hand against her cheek to her hair, running his fingers through it. It was a nice feeling. She let out a soft, appreciative hum. His fingers pressed into her hip a little.

“Alright, I’m getting bored. Kiss me or not - just do it soon. I’m not into comforting people.”

That made Aloy snort. “You’re good at it.”

“Ugh, don’t insult me.”

She raised her head and arched her eyebrow at him before leaning her head forward and up. He lowered his to meet her with a muttered “Finally,” then she pressed their lips together and paused to process the sensation. His lips were a bit chapped. Soft where they weren’t. Something about the intimate touch made her heart skip a beat and her body clench. An embarrassing quiver made its way through her lips. Nil didn’t give any indication that he’d noticed. He sighed after a while, and the air tickled her cheek. “You know,” he mumbled against her lips, “it’s not actually a kiss unless you make the smacking noise.”

Aloy pulled back with a soft ‘pop,’ then covered her eyes and shook with laughter for a moment. “Why are you like this?” she groaned.

“What? What did I say? It’s true - it’s not a kiss unless you make the smacking noise. Look.” He pulled her hand up and pressed his lips to the back of it, pulling back without making the noise. “See? Not a kiss. Now this.” He did it again, but this time with the tiniest of smacks of his lips against her skin. “See?” he whispered against her hand. “It’s not a kiss without the noise.”

He had a point, she conceded. Without the slight pucker and the noise, it just wasn’t a kiss. “Fine. We have to do it again.”

She got a shrug. “As you wish.” He raised his head and gave her an exaggerated pucker. “Be gentle - it’s my first time,” he told her through it, his words muffled weirdly. Aloy put her palm against his cheek and pushed his face away with a snort.

“Stop that.”

“What? Aloy, kiss me. I love you.”

She pushed his head away again. “Stop!” He was making her laugh. “Stop or I’m leaving!” was her exclamation when he came at her again, fish-faced and smacking his lips at her.

Nil heaved a theatrical sigh. “You have no respect for a man’s fetishes.”

“I sure don’t.” He was looking at her again, and Aloy cleared her throat before once more leaning up and pressing their lips together. The kiss was small and gentle - and authentic. Nil didn’t move back and neither did she, so she kissed him again and again he returned it. She kept her eyes open for a few more kisses - some firmer, some softer, all of them making her body react in tingly ways - before closing them. It was more comfortable that way. Her hands found their awkward way to his shoulders and then around to his back as his own moved around her waist and gripped her hair more firmly. They were both breathing heavier. Hers wasn’t the only body reacting to the situation. She could feel him hard against her and it made her react even more, sharp stabs of almost-pain from her clitoris to the rest of her body. She gasped a little and his lower lip caught between her teeth, but when she pulled back a little to try to apologize, he followed her, gripping her bottom lip between his teeth and biting very, very gently, more of a firm pressure that nevertheless made her hair stand on end and sent a shudder from her neck to her feet. She squeaked a little, but when he pulled away she pulled him back and kissed him hard. Their tongues got involved after that, wet and slimy and probably something she’d be disgusted by if she weren’t so … involved … in the activity, if her heart wasn’t pounding so hard and if her nethers weren’t throbbing so much, if her nipples weren’t tingling with the desire to be touched.

She’d shoved his vest off and was gripping the back of his head, kissing and sucking on his neck as he panted and held their hips together and let her be the one to grind against him, when everything caught up to her and she jerked upright and back with a surprised little gasp, hands on his chest, entire body quivering. She looked at him in shock.

“It’s just a reaction,” was his breathy response. Aloy blinked. Nil gave her a smirk and gestured elegantly to her. “This. It’s just a reaction to stimulation. Nothing more.”

“I know that,” was her hoarse whisper. “I want to have sex.”

She got a boop on the nose and another delighted grin. “Absolutely. I’m perfectly up for that - _after_ you go to bed and think about if that’s what you _really_ want, or if your hormones have just taken over.” He pushed her gently away, then took both of her hands and kissed them. His hair fell over his eyes again - long on top and almost shaved on the sides - and she pushed it back. “Is it a deal?”

It was a good idea. Aloy nodded. “Yeah. Thanks. I don’t --- Well, this wasn’t --- I don’t like ---”

“You don’t like losing control, but you haven’t had enough sexual experience to be able to rein yourself in.” He leaned over to box her food up as he spoke. “It’s perfectly normal. I’m not going to go to bed with you until you’re absolutely sure you want me to. So you just take your time. Here, put this in the fridge when you get in the house. Go on - shoo. A man needs his beauty sleep.” He ushered her out of the tent, then called to her just as she reached the backdoor.

She looked behind her. “What?”

Nil’s grin was devilish. “Don’t forget to wash your panties.”

The rock she threw dinged him right between the eyes, and his laughter followed her inside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> no, i don't know who i ship her with more, gtfo my face (i lied, come here and let me love you)
> 
> Also, while comments are always amazing and I appreciate them and love people who comment, I _do_ also squeal with delight each time I see my hit  & kudos counters go up, and screenshot it to text to El Fiancé, who is dutifully proud of me. Thank you for all the hits and kudoseseseses - I see you loving me from afar, and I love you back.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Parental talks about relationships and sex, hella sad shit about Elisabet's death, and Nil neither needs nor gives comfort.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **+MAMA LARISSA MODE+**  
>  This chapter deals **HEAVILY** with the loss of a parent and the accompanying feelings of resentment and abandonment that often come with it.
> 
>  **PLEASE** be aware of this as you read. If you need to skip that part, I've put ++ before and after it - CTRL/CMD+ F to find them and scroll past. I'm 32 right now - my parents divorced when I was young and one moved away and started a new family after remarrying, and writing this brought me to tears over the feelings of abandonment I still have from it. If you've lost a parent or that part of the chapter might affect you too much for other reasons, please skip it.
> 
> The TS;DR (too sad; didn't read) is that Aloy reminisces over losing her mother and how she still feels about it, and Avad comforts her.  
>  **+/MLM+**

Aloy had inadvertently waited up for Rost. She hadn’t meant to - she had a long day the next day, what with school, the Lodge, and the orientation for the military science classes. She’d managed to dig herself a rabbit hole in regards to sexual attraction and desire, though, and has bundled up on the front porch wondering if she really wanted to wake Nil up to have sex, or if she wanted to wait to see what happened with her semi-relationship with Vanasha and Petra, or if she wanted to just take care of her pent-up sexual energy herself, or if she just wanted to run away from it all and join a convent instead. She’d have to look up which ones required celibacy and weren’t too cultish. One where she could spend all her time in solitary confinement. She could handle a monthly goat sacrifice. Or she could run off and live with the machines. Maybe Brin or Grata wanted a roommate. She wondered if she should start getting used to the taste of machine oil now, or wait until he’d accepted her as a roommate. Fellow coat rack. Something like that.

Rost sat next to her with raised eyebrows as she contemplated which unappealing future was the least unappealing. He knew she was vaguely distressed about something lately, but generally trusted that she’d come to him about things when she needed to. She let out a deep sigh and slouched further into her blanket. “I need a vibrator.”

“You already have one.”

“It doesn’t penetrate.”

“Can you wait until Friday?”

She considered. Then, “Yeah.” Maybe. Then she recalled that she had her own money, now, and didn’t need to be asking Rost for sex aides anymore, and covered her face with her hands. “I’m sorry. I can buy it. Never mind. I’m sorry.”

“It doesn’t embarrass me. I’d rather buy it for you than have you have sex before you’re ready.” The tone of his voice clearly said that he’d been waiting for her to remember that she had a paying job and therefore the funds. There was a difference between not being embarrassed about something and wanting to do it.

Aloy shook her head. “No, I’ll buy it. I just …” She turned her head and looked at him with pursed lips and a frown. “Have you ever been really confused about sex and relationships?”

“That’s how I generally spend my life, yes. But I think it’s the norm for most people.”

She raised her knee and wrapped her arms around it. “But what if two people, who were already --- Oh, hell. Petra and Vanasha. I’m confused about Petra and Vanasha. And Nil.”

 _That_ got her a stern, somewhat exasperated look. “They seem to care about you for more things than sex, which is more than I can say for others.”

“Nil won’t have sex with me unless I’m absolutely sure about it,” she said in defense of her friend. Semi-friend. Creepy hanger-on. “I asked.”

Rost looked faintly surprised. “And how did _that_ come up?”

She sighed. “Well, I … I’d never kissed anyone. I don’t want Petra and Vanasha to think that I don’t know what I’m doing if - when - I tell them I want them to kiss me. And I _know_ that _they_ won’t care if I’m not experienced, but _I_ do. And Nil’s the only non-related male I know who isn’t head-over-heels in love with me. And he’s weird - he won’t make a big deal out of it. So … I asked him to kiss me last week. Sort of. I … hinted at it. He figured it out.” She shook her head. “Regardless, we did it, and I got … into it … and told him I wanted to have sex. He said he’d only do it if I was absolutely sure and not so … hormone-addled.” She paused and then gave a short, sharp sigh as she wondered if she should be ashamed of herself. “Was any of that wrong of me?”

Rost considered for a moment, his lips pursed in the way that said he was trying not to smile or laugh. He finally shrugged. “I think you’re handling things better than I did at your age. I wasn’t the most … celibate … of people. Or that choosy. I had really bad taste in partners for a long time.” She found that rather hard to believe, but kept her mouth shut. He shrugged again. “Look, Aloy, as long as no one is pressuring you into anything, and everyone’s in your legal range, I can neither condone nor condemn your choices. Petra and Vanasha have your best interests at heart, I believe, and while Nil isn’t my ideal choice for your sexual exploration with men, he _is_ the only one, like you said, neither related to nor in love with you. His honor may be black, but it _is_ there. But people _do_ make mistakes, so I trust you to come to me if you need help hiding a body.” He examined his nails and the grime that was caked underneath them from years of hard physical labor, then sighed. “And if you’re going to be having sex or making out or anything like that, do it in your room.” Aloy raised her eyebrows. “There’s a chance that Avad or Erend would hear, but I think they’re more likely to hear if you’re in the backyard and their windows are open. It echoes more out there. I’m also sure your bed is more comfortable than the human mattress that Nil sleeps on.”

“It’s not human skin,” she assured him. “I checked.”

“Well, Nil is certainly _full_ of surprises.”

The gentleness of his touch had certainly been a surprise; his patience and willingness to drop things immediately, a comfort. She rather thought that asking him to show her what kissing and intimacy were like had actually been a _good_ idea. Aloy nodded and picked up her cup of tea, sipping on it as Rost finally got to eat his dinner. He was eating slower than usual - she had more things on her mind and he knew it. She scrunched her face up a bit as she took a breath. “Was it confusing with … with Mother?”

She got a slow nod out of the corner of her eye. “In different ways, but … yes.”

“How was it different?”

“She didn’t have a serial killer best friend, for one.”

Aloy’s lips twitched. He would probably answer truthfully if she pushed, but it was clear that he didn’t want to talk about it. Instead she closed her eyes and tilted her head back, enjoying the chill fall breeze on her cheeks. “I remember … she used to bring me back wooden figures, when she went out of town. Animals. They almost looked like machines.”

“Banuk figures,” Rost murmured. “For luck and protection and such.”

“Banuk?”

“They’re a reclusive group - a tribe, really - who shunned human civilisation a long time ago. They live up north, near where Elisabet ---” He started coughing and Aloy sat up a bit in alarm, but he stopped after a moment and turned his face away from her. “Anyway, they worship machines. The figures are in the attic, if you want them.”

She smiled, just slightly. “Yeah. Yeah, I would. Thank you.”

“They’re in her cedar chest. You can get them whenever you’d like. I need to go to bed. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”

++She hadn’t meant to bring up painful memories, and tried not to bring her mother up often, but there was still so much about the woman that she wanted to know - and se knew that Rost would tell her, if she asked. It was a delicate balance between her desire to know her mother and his memories of losing her. Aloy remembered uniformed men and women showing up at the door of their old house. As soon as Rost had opened the door, with Aloy peeking out from behind his legs on the assumption that it was her mother coming home, he’d stiffened and then turned and picked her up, hugging her tightly to him as he’d carried her to her room and told her to play. She’d listened at the door but couldn’t hear them talking, so she’d crept down the hall toward the living room, where the two uniformed people stood on either side of Rost. He’d been on the couch, hunched over and holding his head in his hands as he shook it. He’d been hurt, somehow, so she’d darted forward and climbed into his lap to give him a hug. The hug he’d given in return had been tight enough to make her squeak, and he’d stroked her hair and held her close and rocked her and whispered apologies. It was the only time she’d ever seen him cry.

Their grandmothers had come over that evening, and all three adults had done their best to explain to Avad, herself, and Erend - seven, four, and three at the time - what had happened. Mommy had been working. There had been an accident - something that lit up the northern sky for weeks afterwards. Mommy had saved everyone, but had gotten hurt and couldn’t get out in time. She wasn’t coming home - ever. Avad had started screaming in denial. Aloy had wanted to know where Mommy had gone instead of coming home. Erend hadn’t understood at all, just asked “Mama?” as he looked around for her. It had taken weeks for Aloy to understand that her mother had died, and years for her to understand her mother’s sacrifice and even begin to start processing the deep feeling of abandonment, and even resentment, at her mother’s death. Even twelve years later, Aloy, when she let herself start thinking about it, felt abandoned by Elisabet, was angry at her for dying. It didn’t matter that her mother had been doing her job. It didn’t matter that nobody had expected the facility to explode. If Aloy had just begged harder than usual for Elisabet not to leave for the week, if she’d faked being sick so Elisabet would have had to come home early, even though that would have doomed hundreds to die in her stead, if Elisabet hadn’t been so dedicated to her work that she’d left her children for a week out of each month, if, if, if ...

Aloy didn’t even notice the hot tears rolling down her cheeks until someone wrapped their arms around her and hugged her close. The tears blurred her eyes and fell without her blinking, and her breaths were ragged, her body shaking with each one she let out. She didn’t make a noise, just sat and stared and shook and cried and let Avad’s voice wash over her as he held her tightly. Eventually his soothing words eased into gentle shushes, then into silence as they rocked on the porch swing, her face buried in his shoulder. Her throat ached from crying so much, and hurt more each time she swallowed. She gave up after a while and just sat there.++

When her nose dripped too much for sniffling, she rubbed it on Avad’s shirt. He sighed a little each time. He didn’t stop her. “It _must_ be bad if you’re not stopping me,” she said after a few wipes.

He snorted a bit. “Rost said you might need me. I love you, even when I’m being an ass.”

“I know.” Her voice was hoarse and he somehow managed to hold onto her and pick up a hot cup of tea. She wiggled one hand free of the blanket in order to take it. “I love you, too. Thanks.”

“You’re welcome. Do you want to talk about it?”

“Oh, hell no. This is what _thinking_ about it did to me - and why I try not to.”

“That’s not healthy, Aloy.”

She settled more into his embrace. “Well, I’m not drinking like Erend does.”

“Will you talk to the counselor, please? You don’t have to start going regularly again - just about tonight.”

“Are you going to have Ersa drag me there if I say no?” She was expecting to hear Ersa confirm it, but there was silence.

“No. But I’d like you to.” Avad kissed the top of her head. “Please? I know a counselor at the campus - they’ll do it for free. I can see if she’ll stop by on a weekend.”

Aloy let out a deep breath, the tea finally relaxing her. The slightly bitter aftertaste of each sip said he’d put a sedative in it, the sneaky dick. “Only if you stay out of my sex life - or what you _think_ is my sex life.”

“It’s a deal. I _am_ sorry about that, Aloy. The way you were dressed, I just … I’m not used to you showing interest in anyone, so I … I jumped to conclusions. I got over-protective. I should have trusted you. I’m sorry.”

“Ugh, you’re making it hard to enact revenge.” That got a laugh. She looked up at him and smiled before wiping her face on the blanket. He smiled back at her, all russet skin, coarse black hair, and grey eyes - she was the only one of them that remotely resembled their mother. “Thanks. I’m ready for a shower and bed.” Her face was hot and puffy from her crying.

Avad nodded. “Go on - I’ll close up.”

“Thanks.” She went upstairs to grab a towel and pajamas to take back down to the shower, and paused halfway to her dresser. “... What are you doing in my room?”

Nil, stretched out on her bed with his hands behind his head, just shrugged. “I’m ready for a shower, too.” He raised an eyebrow as her own went up. “Oh, come now, Aloy. You can’t _really_ expect me to _not_ listen in on interesting conversations when I’m here, can you?”

“Yeah, I can. It’s called being a decent person who minds their own business and has a sense of privacy.”

“Mm, no, none of those apply to me.”

“Well, stop it anyway. Some things are private.”

“Like what?” he asked. “Your mother’s death? It was all over the news - I knew about Elisabet Sobeck before I ever knew about Aloy Sobeck. That you’re still obviously messed up over it? I imagine that that’s something that’s incredibly difficult to get over. Why is it a secret?”

Aloy glared at him. “There’s a difference between a ‘secret’ and ‘private,’ Nil.”

“Oh? And what _is_ that difference, pray tell?”

“A ‘secret’ is something that’s deliberately kept from you. ‘Private’ is when it’s none of your damn business in the first place.”

“They seem the same to me - both are equally asinine. Are we showering, or not?”

He’d sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. Aloy snapped her towel at him in irritation. He caught it and gave it a tug as he grinned. “I’m not showering with you.”

“But they’ll suspect something if we take separate showers.”

“Then don’t shower! No one invited you in.” They were playing tug-of-war with the towel, then Aloy threw it at him. “Fine. I don’t care. Do whatever you want.”

“I generally do.” He followed her downstairs after they waited for Avad to go to bed, then locked the bathroom door and stripped out of his clothes while Aloy started the shower. She waited for him to get in before taking her own off, but she needn’t have bothered with such modesty, because their shower barely fit one adult, much less two. The rubbing against each other as they washed off couldn’t be helped. She’d expected him to make some remark or other in order to rile her up, but he was uncharacteristically quiet. In fact, he ignored her the entire shower. Aloy was grateful, if a bit bemused.

He ignored her as they toweled off and she slipped into her silk pajama top and bottoms, and laid down in her bed once they were back in the room, stark naked. Aloy rolled her eyes. “Who said you could sleep here?”

“No one. I’m doing it anyway.”

“Where am _I_ sleeping, then?” Nil edged over to the wall and patted the small space beside him. She should have kicked him out. She sighed and knelt to grab a pair of shorts from her dresser to throw at him. She didn’t want to sleep alone tonight, anyway. “Fine, but put these on.”

“What am I, a civilised man? Ugh.” He did as he was told, though, and Aloy - who had _definitely_ not been sneaking peeks at his penis - crawled in the bed and pulled the covers up around her shoulders. There was a bit of shifting as they each got comfortable, ending up with her on her stomach and Nil on his side, facing her, one arm under her pillow and neck and the other across her back. “If you start crying again,” he whispered once they were settled, “I’m leaving. I’m not here to comfort you.”

“Uh-huh.”

“I’m serious. Go to sleep.”

“Yeah … sure …” She was fading fast, and didn’t know how long she’d slept until Nil’s jerking shook her awake. He was twitching in his sleep, making small noises every once in a while - tiny ones that sounded almost distressed. Aloy turned her head to look at him and his face was scrunched. He was clearly having a bad dream, and was starting to jerk his arms and legs. Aloy shifted until she could comfortably slide an arm out of the blankets and pet his hair. “Hey, Nil,” she whispered. He whined a little in his sleep. “Hey. It’s ok. You’re ok.” His entire body jerked suddenly with a gasp and he went stiff for a few seconds, and just as Aloy was starting to think he’d woken up, he collapsed around her, wrapping his arms around her stomach and pulling her half on him, legs entwining with hers, rubbing his face into her back. He was stronger than he looked - it was all sinewy muscle. It was an awkward position, but Aloy had slept in worse, and at least he’d calmed down and was relaxed and peaceful. She pulled her pillow under her head and closed her eyes, fully prepared to be achingly sore when she woke up in the morning. Her last conscious feeling was that of Nil’s lips against her shoulder, and the question of what, exactly, he’d been dreaming of.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I meant to have a lot less tears and a lot more making out in this chapter. I'll try again next chapter.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Losing one's virginity is _not_ like killing someone for the first time, _Nil._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ohai have the smut i meant to write last chapter

It was odd to wake up to someone else’s warmth beside her. Nil was curled up against her back, his breathing soft, even, and warm in her hair, one arm stretched out under her pillow and his other arm around her waist, hand curled in and fingers tucked just slightly under her stomach. His knees were drawn up behind hers and his feet were tangled up with her own a bit. There wasn’t much more touching that their bodies could do in this position. She wondered if he knew he was a cuddler.

“Are you awake yet?” he asked after a few more minutes.

Aloy considered not replying. It would be interesting to see how long he’d lay there with her. She didn’t want to abuse his odd goodwill, though, and nodded. “Yeah.”

“Good, that means I can get up.”

“Cold comfort in the warmth of another’s body, huh?” she said when he hadn’t moved after a moment.

“It was figurative. You’re warm and it’s cold.”

Aloy rolled her eyes and pushed herself up. It had to have been after six - the house was quiet and it was after dawn. Her Focus was blinking with a message. When she put it on, with Nil resting his chin on her left shoulder as she did so, it was an acknowledgement of Rost letting the school know that she would be absent for the day.

“Are the truancy police after you?”

“No, Rost gave me the day off.”

“It really affects you that much?”

Aloy turned her head a centimeter or two and looked at him out of the corner of her eye. “I don’t remember the last time I had a complete night’s sleep.”

“My body _does_ tend to make people pass out.”

“I’m not talking about choking to death.”

He let out a short scoff as he stood up and took her shorts off. “Neither am I. I don’t think about murder _all_ the time.”

“Oh, good.”

“Just most of the time.”

Aloy shook her head. “Yep, should have expected that. What are you doing?”

He was rummaging, naked, through her clothes. “Finding you an outfit for today.”

She wanted to strangle him. “Why? Why would you do that? Why is that a thing that popped into your crazy head?”

“Alright, then, honestly, I’m looking for what I want to keep as a trophy when I finally kill you.” She blew a raspberry at him. He handed her some old jeans. “Actually, I’m not sure _who_ would win in a fight between us. I’d rather like to find out, one day. But not today.” He looked over his shoulder and wrinkled his nose at her. “Are you getting dressed, or are we being naked today?”

 _“I’m_ going to eat breakfast,” Aloy told him. _“You_ can do whatever _legal things that I say you can do.”_

Nil let out a heavy sigh as he followed her out of the room. “I can’t handle this relationship, Aloy. You’re smothering me.”

“It’s not a relationship, Nil. If you don’t like following the law when you’re with me, go away.” He started to rummage in the fridge as she took breakfast out of the oven. Two breakfasts, in fact. She smiled a little as she set them on the table. Nil had found some juice and two cups, and raised his eyebrows as they sat down.

“That _was_ Rost who came in this morning. I’m glad I’m not dead.” Aloy raised her eyebrows. “Someone opened your bedroom door this morning - at least enough to look in. I wasn’t sure if I’d dreamt it or not. They didn’t come in, so I didn’t think they were a threat, and went back to sleep.”

“Rost is a good man.”

“I see why your mother liked him.” Aloy let out a short sigh and Nil looked up from his food. “What?”

“I don’t want to talk about her, Nil. Not with you. You don’t get to decide to help me get over it.”

“It was just an observation. These are good eggs. Are you going to eat your eggs? Give me your eggs.”

She brought her fork down on his hand as he reached over to take her food, sinking it into his skin and drawing blood. He didn’t pull away - he twisted his wrist and grabbed hers, hauling her over the table and scattering the dishes and food on the floor, throwing her into the cabinets. Aloy hunched her shoulders in preparation for the impact and used to the rebound to launch herself at him, grabbing his hair and yanking as hard as she could as he dropped to the floor. He was unbalanced and fell hard. She rolled on top of him and forced his wrists over his head, leaning on them with all her upper body strength while tucking her feet beneath his thighs and squeezing her own together. He bucked and twisted, but she had better leverage.

 _“Don't. Take. My. Food,”_ she growled at him.

He flashed her a grin as he panted and struggled. “Well, I can’t anymore, because _you_ wasted it all.”

_“Don't. Take. My. Food.”_

He managed to twist one hand out of her grasp but she threw herself forward enough to grab it again, slamming it against the floor. He cursed a bit, and when he bucked up enough to dislodge her, she wrapped herself around his back and her arms over his, then locked her hands around her wrists. He couldn’t get free - each time he got her grip to loosen even a little, she just gripped harder. He was panting by the time he stopped struggling. “How are you doing this?”

Better core strength, and the ability to cling like a spider monkey. “Are you going to ever touch my food again?” He tensed up and tried to break free of her grip by moving his arms out, but she was prepared for it and latched on tighter. Her legs were around his waist and her ankles were locked together. “I can take Erend down like this, Nil. Don’t even try.” He kept trying, though, but her grip was too strong and she renewed it too quickly. He _did_ get turned around so they were facing each other, though, and his upper lip curled as he rocked his hips into hers. She rolled her eyes at him. “Not gonna help.”

“Damn it. Fine. I won’t take your food anymore. Happy?”

“Yeah.” She rolled them over so she was sitting on him again. Her top was ripped, exposing most of her right breast. She stood up and tugged at it, wondering if she could fix it. “Ugh, you tore my pajamas. You owe me new ones.”

“You started it.”

They were both cleaning up the mess, and Nil was still naked. _“You_ started it. You tried to steal my food.”

“Alright, I admit guilt just this once. I’ll have to remember that strategy in my next one-on-one fight, though.”

“It’s patented. You owe me twenty dollars every time you use it.”

He was aghast as they finished putting the dishes in the dishwasher. “That’s highway robbery!”

“Then don’t use it. I’m taking another shower. Thanks for wasting our water.” He followed her again, and when they were in the shower, rather than face away from him, she turned and put her hands on his hips. He raised an eyebrow. “I don’t want to have sex with you. But I don’t know what my other limits are. I want to find out.”

“Does fighting _always_ turn you on?” he asked with a smirk. One hand on her own hip pressed her back against the shower wall, and the other hand circled around the side and back of her neck as they both blinked water out of their eyes.

“No. I just decided I wanted to do this right now. It’s as good a time as any - no one’s home.” _Now_ her heart was starting to pound, though. Nil dragged the hand on her hip up her side, over her shoulder, and around her neck with the other one. She covered his wrists with a defiant glare and then tilted her head up to kiss him. He let out an amused breath before kissing her back. He apparently didn’t think he needed to be delicate with her anymore, his lips firm and fingers digging into her neck muscles. Aloy slid her hands down his arms, around his biceps, and over his shoulders as he nipped at her lips, but she moved her mouth to his neck instead and pressed kisses to it, flicking her tongue out to lick the water off of him. He dropped one hand to the back of her thigh and lifted her leg around his waist before sliding it up and over her rear and then back to her knee, repeating the motion as she bit his neck in response and arched her hips into him with a soft grunt of pleasure.

“You’re going to have to define ‘sex’ better,” he growled in her ear. “I’m assuming you meant ‘I don’t want your penis inside of my vagina, Nil.’ Is there anything else to avoid?”

“Or my mouth,” she whispered. “Ew.” He pushed her head up to kiss her lips again, and this time she opened said mouth to let his tongue in. It was still disgusting. She still did it. She supposed a lot of things that were disgusting on a non-sexual basis were appealing while in the heat of the moment.

“You just keep thinking that. What about my fingers?” He brushed them over her labia and Aloy raised herself to her toes hastily with an alarmed cry.

“May-hay-hay- _hayyyybe?”_ she squeaked. It had felt amazingly good, just the soft touch of his skin against hers. “Strong maybe?”

That got her a laugh and Nil took a break from teasing her to keep kissing her. She liked the feel of his lean body against hers, slick with water. She put both palms on his chest and squeezed his pecs, enjoying the feeling of his firm skin beneath her hands. When he drew back again, she slumped toward him. “May I put my _tongue_ there?”

 _“Yes,”_ she told him.

Her immediate and enthusiastic response had him throwing his head back with laughter. “As you command, then. And where may my hands go? Anywhere _but_ where my mouth is about to be?”

Aloy thought about it, hard. Then, “No anal stuff. I don’t think I want to try that. But other than that, yes, put your hands and mouth anywhere you like. Have fun. I’ll tell you when to stop.”

He looked at her with narrow eyes for a moment before deciding that she was of sound enough mind to make this decision. “It’s a plan.” He shut the shower off and lifted her up, not bothering with towels as she clung to him with somewhat alarmed laughter as he brought them both back to her room. “I like your legs around my waist.” She snorted. “I’m going to like them better over my shoulders.” He grinned at her, and laughed when she mumbled something and looked away. “There’s the blush I wanted. One day, something like that isn’t even going to faze you. What a sad day _that_ will be.” He’d set her on the bed and Aloy looked up at him, curious as to what he would start with, her knees together and her ankles apart with her hands clasped together over her stomach. Then she laughed. He raised an eyebrow as he knelt in front of her. “What?”

She shook her head. “Nothing. My grandmother once said … she said that I had to sit with my knees together, because sitting with them apart was the mark of a fallen woman.”

He raised a finger. “Alright, I can think of at _least_ half a dozen ways ---”

“So could Granny Teersa,” Aloy interrupted. “And she described them. That’s what was funny. Lansra was furious.”

Nil crossed his arms over her legs, rested his chin on them, and looked up at her with a slight smile. “I bet I could make you fall.” She tilted her head. “I bet I could have your knees _flying_ apart.”

Aloy pursed her lips and squinted her eyes at him. “Uh, yeah. That’s what this is all about. Your face, my vagina, tongues --- that sort of thing. My goal isn’t to keep my legs closed. It’s kind of the exact opposite.”

He rolled his eyes. “Oh, Aloy. I bet I can have your knees apart within five minutes.”

 _Oh._ He wanted to play a _game._ She could do that. Aloy took a moment to consider her level of self control and what he might possibly do, then nodded. “Yeah, that would take at _least_ ten.”

Nil’s eyes narrowed. “You don’t know _what_ I’m going to do to you.”

“Nothing what will have my legs apart in five minutes,” she told him sweetly, leaning forward so her wet hair fell in his face.

He batted it away. “Alright. I win if I can get you spread out within five minutes, you win if it takes at least ten, and we both lose if it’s somewhere in between. Challenge accepted, then?”

Aloy wiggled her knees back and forth. “Challenge accepted.”

“Good. Set a timer for five minutes, with five-minute snooze intervals.” Aloy touched her Focus and set the timer, the countdown popping up above her dresser, then nodded. Nil slid his hands up the outside of her thighs and over her hips, back down and back up again, curving in at her waist with a squeeze and moving up her sides and around to her back, over her shoulders, down her arms to her hands - taking them both gently and kissing the insides of her wrists - eyes never leaving hers. It was uncomfortable in a pleasant way, and Aloy turned her head. “Hey,” he whispered. “Don’t look away.”

“You’re not the boss of me,” she whispered back. His tongue flicked over her wrist and she took a short, sharp breath as she tensed.

“Look at me.” It was with great reluctance that Aloy met his gaze again. There was an intimacy in it that had her taking deep breaths to calm her heart. Nil just smiled, a slight movement upwards of his lips. He slid his hands back up her arms and around her neck, leaning up as he pulled her down for a kiss, nipping gently at her lips but not trying to get her to open her mouth. Aloy returned it, only to have his hands move down her front and cup her breasts. That made her jump again, and let out a tiny noise when her rolled her nipples between his fingers and thumbs. It got her a soft breath of a laugh before he continued his downward trek. His lips moved from her mouth to her ears. Aloy gripped his shoulders as she started to tremble, clenching her thighs together and creating some delightful friction in the process. From there he nibbled along her neck as he hands pressed along her breasts and stomach, around her lower back, always gentle but firm.

He angled his torso a bit so it pressed against the small space between her knees, and Aloy snorted. “You’re not …” She coughed. “That’s not going to work.”

“It doesn’t have to work right now,” he whispered against her collarbone. He cupped her breasts again and moved his mouth to them, kissing and nipping and raising them up to bury his face between them - not that he could get much cleavage for it. Aloy had the ridiculous urge to apologize for having small breasts. Nil didn’t seem to mind. His eyes had fluttered shut as he finally slid his lips over a nipple and pressed down with them, and the sharp slice of pleasure had her gasping and grabbing his hair to keep him there. That got a satisfied chuckle that eased into a gentle moan of pleasure. Aloy hadn’t considered that a simple noise like that would have her quivering and legs loosening. She sighed in return and as her knees start to move apart, tugged a bit on his hair - eliciting another moan - and squeezed them together again.

“You’re an asshole.”

“Mm-hm,” was his distracted reply as he moved to her other breast, raising himself up on his knees a bit so she had to lean back, settling next to her, his hands moving to her rear and hips and lifting them up slightly. He looked up at her every so often, and she looked away each time. It was difficult to keep her knees together when he was lifting her up.

“That’s cheating,” she whispered.

“You never said it was against the rules.” Then he blew a raspberry on her stomach and Aloy yelled a bit and squirmed, then he slid his first two fingers between her legs and she bit her fist to muffle her loud moan as he gently stroked her. “Oh, hello, there. This is a bit … _goopy_ ...”

“Oh, good --- why are you like this?” she asked. He returned to her lips with an ‘I don’t know’ noise and sucked on her bottom lip before she bit his top one. His fingers moved faster and made her whimper a little - with each bit she gave him, he wedged his hand a little further between her thighs and through the wetness there, until his middle finger was pressing gently all around the entrance to her vagina and she was pulling on his hair with one hand, scratching down his back with the other, whining with every panting breath, and arching her hips up to encourage him to slide his finger inside of her. “Please,” she whispered. “Please.”

“Open your legs and I will.” He’d pulled back and she took the opportunity to kiss and suck on his neck, biting hard every few kisses. He grunted with each one and gripped her more firmly, panting in her ear. “That’s not going to work.”

“I want you inside me,” she whispered in his own ear. “Please. I want you inside me.”

 _“That_ will,” he told her as he obliged. Aloy threw her head back and arched her back with a loud cry, repeated each time his finger slid inside of her. He concentrated for a few moments on fingering her and giving her what would probably be an embarrassingly large hickey, then glanced at the timer and grumbled to himself before lifting her legs straight up in the air with her knees bent over his shoulder as he slid down the bed. Her eyes went wide and she cried out something garbled yet very akin to begging when he slid two fingers inside of her from that angle. Her legs were trembling. It wasn’t getting him what he wanted, though, and he had a minute left. “Oh, for the love of ---”

He pushed her legs toward her stomach and settled in front of her, leaning forward to slide his tongue from her vagina up to her clitoris, swirling it around and back down, sucking gently at her labia and then swirling his tongue _in_ her vagina, as Aloy’s cries and thrashing devolved into silent, near-hyperventilating gasps and constant quivers. She was grabbing her breasts so hard she might have bruises later, but it all felt too good to stop. His fingers joined his tongue and Aloy clenched around them, which brought a growl from his lips that vibrated over her swollen, aching flesh. Her entire body was tingling and on fire.

The alarm went off and Nil swore as he pushed himself up, still keeping her knees over one shoulder and slamming his lips against hers. It was good that she was more flexible than most. His mouth tasted oddly bitter and tangy, but Aloy was past the point of caring. “I’m not putting it in you,” he growled as he shifted around.

“Uh?” she whimpered, then, “Oh, _God,”_ when he started rubbing his penis against her, firmly yet always careful that it didn’t slip inside of her - which she honestly wouldn’t have minded at the moment.

“If _I’m_ losing this game, then so are you.” They were both slick with sweat and she had her fist in his hair, keeping tension on it as their foreheads rested together and they panted. They were at about seven minutes when Aloy lost it and dropped her legs, and Nil hooted with delight as he slid off the bed and buried his face between them, hands on her thighs keeping them apart and his solid groans of pleasure muffled by her vulva and his lips and tongue moving over and inside of her. He slipped his hands around her thighs and grabbed her hips after a moment. He used the leverage to pull her more tightly against him, and Aloy held his head to her and watched his shoulder and back muscles tense and relax with his movements, taut beneath his skin.

Her orgasm was almost entirely silent, but she pulled a bit of hair out and her stomach tensing easily pulled her torso off the bed and bent her double as her legs raised, too. Nil gradually lessened the pressure of his tongue and mouth on her as she shuddered through the aftereffects of it all, spikes of hot pleasure radiating out to her fingers and toes. Once they’d sufficiently subsided, he slid back up her body and kissed her again, more gently, arms under her back and hands in her hair, holding her in a tight embrace. He was still hard, pressed between her legs, his hips twitching a little bit as he kissed her and brushed her bangs out of her face. His grin was entirely self-satisfied.

“You lose.”

Aloy was still shivering each time her body started to relax, and let out a soft, relaxed sigh. “Mm. So did you. You lost first.”

“Hmph. All that frantic masturbating over Petra and Vanasha clearly upped your tolerance.”

“Mm-hm. Probably.” She ran her hands over his back, feeling a series of scars. “Do you need to finish? Do you need help?”

“What?” He raised up a little to look between them, then shrugged. “Oh. I’m fine. Are _you_ fine?”

She was warm and his weight on top of her was comforting. Her body was still slightly tingly. She had absolutely no regrets. She nodded. “Yep. I’m great. Don’t fall in love with me, now.”

“I’ve never loved anyone in my life, and I’ve no intention of starting with you.”

“That’s good to know. Ugh, I’m all sticky.” She reached one hand out and felt around for something to wipe off with. “Our water bill’s going to be through the roof.”

“I’ll help with that. I’m the reason it’ll be higher,” he interrupted as she tried to protest, “and I don’t want Rost to stop letting me stay in your backyard. So I’ll kick in some cash.”

“You’re really sweet, you know that?”

“No, I’m not. It’s a survival tactic.” He rolled off of her and stretched, then grinned. “I do enjoy sex, though. It’s not as good as killing, but the first time is similar - the searing hot pleasure and pain, the rush of blood, the brief moment of resistance before the piercing of skin …”

Aloy turned over and covered his face with her pillow. “I lost my virginity, Nil - I didn’t kill anyone.”

He struggled to get the pillow off for a moment, his laughter muffled. “Fine. Whatever you say. Why do they even call it ‘losing’ your virginity? I’m pretty sure you know right where you were when it went away.”

Aloy shrugged as his fingers danced along her side and hips on their way back between her legs. “I’m not sure how you can lose a lack of experience. I don’t know. I don’t … ohhhh … really?”

His smile didn’t reach his eyes - it never did - as he slid two fingers back inside of her. Aloy’s eyes fluttered as she turned her head and kissed his shoulder. “I like how you squirm.”

It was a while before they got to the shower again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a storyline here somewhere, _but not this chapter._
> 
> Also, I realized that I could very well hit the NaNoWriMo goal of 50,000 words in 30 days with this fic, so of course I set myself that ridiculous goal, because I apparently hate myself. As of this posting, I'm only 3,030 words behind. Easy-peasy.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Relationship and parental discussions, and step-daddy/step-daughter bonding, yo. Also, Nil's there.

“Yeah, I’ll do it.”

Petra was rubbing her shoulders and Vanasha was rubbing her feet. They both paused. “Pardon?”

Aloy nodded. “Yeah. I’ll go to the dance with you two. I’ll do it.”

“Will you have time?” Petra asked. Her breath tickled Aloy’s ear.

“Talanah will give me the night off. She gets on me about being more social. I’m plenty social.” She paused. “With the Hatchlings, at least. And …” Vanasha was watching her with a grin. Aloy took a deep breath. “I’ve been … experimenting … with sex.” That got interested murmurs from both of them. “With Nil.”

The absolutely offended, confused, and faintly disgusted look she got from Vanasha was both funny and worrisome. _“Why?_ He’s a damn sociopath.”

They wouldn’t want to go with her anymore. Aloy’s shoulders slumped a little. “Because he’s not going to form an attachment to me. He’s never pressured me to do anything, or even started anything. It’s … are you mad?”

She got a hug from behind. “If we were dating, then we’d be upset. And even if we’re upset right now, we’ve no right to tell you who you can be intimate with. Is he taking good care of you?”

“Yeah.” Aloy covered her face with her hands. “It’s just his tongue and fingers,” she mumbled through them. “Nothing else. Yet. I don’t know.”

“You don’t know if his penis has been inside you or not?” Vanasha asked.

“No! I mean, yes. It hasn’t. No, it hasn’t. Yes, I know that it hasn’t. Please still want to go to the dance with me.”

“Oh, stop teasing her, Vanasha. Yeah, we still want to go with you, little spark. It’s ok. _If_ you were to decide you want to date us, _then_ we would have to sit down and talk about your thing with Nil. Which, honestly, is a pretty hot thought. But regardless, it’s none of our business until we’re dating.”

“That’s what Rost said.”

Vanasha almost choked. “You … you’ve talked with your stepdad about this?”

Aloy frowned. “You _don’t_ talk to your parents about things?”

“Not sex,” Petra told her. “You have a very … unique … relationship with Rost. It’s a good thing,” she hurried to clarify. “It’s a very good thing. He hasn’t killed Nil?”

“He mostly ignores it. We don’t do anything very often. It’s only been four times.”

“I _really_ want to watch that.”

“Oh, shut up, Petra. Not that it isn’t an appealing picture, but really.” They’d gone back to their pampering, and Aloy sighed as she relaxed again. She rested her head against Petra’s shoulder and got a slight squeeze. “But honestly …” Vanasha sighed and pursed her lips. Aloy made a questioning noise. “Well, I can’t speak for Petra - and this is in no way me trying to tell you what to do - it’s … sort of … I think I’m a little offended? Hurt? Confused? … that you would being doing things with Nil and not with either - or both - of us. Because let’s be honest, you want us. It’s pretty clear. I’m not trying to get you to do anything. It’s just … curious.”

“There’s probably not a way to say that _without_ sounding like you’re trying to get me to do things with you,” Aloy told her. “It’s ok. I probably should have prefaced that with that I didn’t want you two to think I didn’t know what I was doing, so I asked Nil to help. It just went from there. What’s funny?”

Both women were covering their mouths and chortling with laughter. Petra finally calmed down enough to clear her throat and trace her fingers along Aloy’s. “You are _too_ precious, Aloy. We’re not laughing at you. It’s just …”

 _“Cute,”_ Vanasha put in. “Endearing.”

“Why?”

“Because you want to impress us so much that you asked for a tutorial. Am I right? You’re red - I’m right.”

“Well, _now_ I feel like an idiot.”

“Oh, don’t! No no no, please don’t.” Vanasha cupped her cheek, her dark skin in stark contrast to Aloy’s pale skin. “I’m glad Nil’s showing you things. I look forward to benefitting from his teachings.”

“So do I.” They were still trying to get her to uncover her face a few minutes later when a sleek black car pulled into the driveway. It was entirely unmarked, but the tall, tanned man who stepped out of it wasn’t. Aloy lowered her hands and watched the Eclipse member walk up to them as they sat on the porch. He ignored the two other women, extending a white envelope to Aloy with a bow.

“Miz Sobeck. Your presence has been requested at the Engineering and Technological Symposium next month.”

“No.”

His eyes were covered by black sunglasses, and his face remained impassive. “Miz Sobeck ---”

“It’s sponsored by Faro Automated Solutions,” she interrupted. “I’m not going.”

“The Symposium has a great _many_ sponsors, Miz Sobeck.”

She glared at him. Her mother was dead in part because of her uncle’s idiocy. “So what does Eclipse have to do with it? You work for him.”

“We have been contracted to provide security at the Symposium, Miz Sobeck. There will be representatives from several scientific and technological disciplines - including some contemporaries of your mother’s.”

Hot anger rose in Aloy’s chest. “Don’t you _dare_ bring up my mother.”

“My apologies, Miz Sobeck. I meant no offense. There will also be military representatives there - I’m sure that with your classes at the base, you would be welcome by them.”

That made Aloy a little cold, and even angrier. “How do you know about those classes?” They weren’t private, but she hadn’t talked with too many people about them.

The man was still holding out the invitation. “Eclipse works with the military at times. You’ve caught the attention of quite a few people. You show great promise. Please, consider it.”

People who had known her mother would be there. Aloy snatched the invitation and threw it through the front door behind her. “Go away.”

She got another bow. “As you please, Miz Sobeck. Helis sends his regards.”

“That company has a weird obsession with you,” Petra observed as the man drove away. “Didn’t they give you a ride to school once?”

“Shut up, Avad’s here.” She got a whispered apology and nodded. “And neither he nor Rost want me anywhere near them - none of us, really, but especially me. But they won’t tell me _why._ I’m more inclined to follow orders when I’ve been given a good reason to.”

There was an ungodly shrieking and banging from the house, and Petra and Vanasha both jumped. “What is _that?!”_

Aloy groaned. _“That_ is why we’re out _here._ Erend and Ersa think they’re going to start a metal band.”

“... They’re terrible.”

“I know. We’ve told them that. Repeatedly.”

“And Avad just lets this happen?”

The temperature dipped as a cloud passed over the sun. Petra grabbed the blanket off of the porch swing and bundled it around herself and Aloy when Aloy shivered. Vanasha turned around and settled back between Aloy’s legs so she could share the warmth, as well. “Avad can’t - and won’t - make Ersa do anything. Erend is impossible to deal with no matter who you are - unless you’re Ersa. I’m apparently not cool enough of a big sister for him.”

“You’re also, what, a year older?”

“Eleven months.”

Vanasha let out a low whistle. “Damn, your parents couldn’t wait, could they?” Then Petra kicked her a bit. “Oh. Sorry.”

Aloy shook her head and toyed with a braid. “It’s fine.”

“So, you were, what, three? When they got divorced? Do you remember your father?”

“Two, actually, and no. I’ve never met him, and he hasn’t had any contact with us since the split.” Their warmth was comforting. She could talk about it easier with them. “I asked about it once, because I thought he should give us child support, but Rost said we had plenty and Mother never wanted his money.”

“That seems kind of harsh.” Petra’s hands tickled through Vanasha’s coarse, short-cut hair.

“I don’t think he ever wanted anything more to do with us. And honestly, I don’t want to meet him. Rost has been more of a father than he ever was - _he_ wouldn’t have left his children just because of a divorce.” There was a slight pang of abandonment at that. Aloy _didn’t_ want to meet her father, but she also didn’t want to have been left by him. “I’m sure it was for the best. I like Rost, though. I think I’ll keep him.”

“I’m still not convinced he’s not a werewolf,” Petra said as the man himself pulled into the driveway. “Remember that, Rost?” she called.

“What did I forget this time?” he replied.

“When you told us you were a werewolf. Remember?”

“I never said that - you assumed it.”

“Yeah, because we’re playing in the yard and all of a sudden this gigantic pile of fur with a wolf’s head on it stands up and comes at us.” Vanasha snorted. “What were we _supposed_ to think?”

He flashed them a grin as he started pulling groceries from the car. Aloy jumped up to help. “And how are you ladies doing today?”

That made Petra laugh. “Wow. ‘Ladies.’ It’s like we’re respectable.”

“What do _you_ call yourselves, then?”

“‘Two-bit whore,’ usually.” Vanasha leaned against the car as Rost started laughing and almost dropped the milk. “Need some help?” He and Aloy were in a contest to see who could carry the most bags in - it was one of her favorite games.

“Nope! We’ve got this. It’s a matter of honor.”

“Ok. We’re off, then. Let’s meet up at lunch on Monday to coordinate outfits.”

“Sure.” She got kisses on both cheeks and flushed as they sauntered off. Rost looked down at her with a raised eyebrow and slight smile. “We’re, uh … we’re going to the dance together.”

“Alright. How much is a ticket?”

She nudge the front door open more. “No, I’ve got it, thank you. Want to go get lunch? My treat.”

They both cringed at Erend’s singing voice. Rost nodded. “Anything to get away from _that._ You’d think Avad would at least _try_ to give him pointers.”

“I have,” was her brother’s reply. “Ersa’s actually got a good voice - and I’m not saying that because I’m biased,” he said as Aloy and Rost both opened their mouths. He was making tea, but stopped to help them put the groceries away. “I mean, I am. Biased. But it’s still true.”

The music stopped and Ersa came flying into the kitchen, laughing as she threw her arms around Avad’s neck and kissed him. “Hey! Is the tea ready?”

Avad barely got a return hug in, the look on his face painfully raw as he watched her, before she was spinning around to pick up the mugs. “Yes. I’ll be right there.”

“Naw, I’ve got it.” She kissed him again after putting the mugs and various fixings on a tray and heading back to Erend’s room.

Rost took a breath and Avad shook his head. “We’re not dating. She’s not interested in that.”

“Really?” the older man asked lightly.

Avad turned to him with a faint look of surprise and, maybe, hope. “What do you mean?”

He got a candy bar flipped at him and caught it easily. “What is that?”

Her brother looked at it with a frown. “It’s a candy bar.”

“No, it’s a wrapped treat. That’s all. It’s just a wrapped treat.”

Avad shook his head. “No, it’s … well, I suppose, but it’s more commonly known as a …”

Rost smiled and nodded as he trailed off. “Not calling something a thing doesn’t mean it’s not that thing, Avad. Are you two seeing other people? Casually?” he corrected himself after a glance at Aloy.

“No, sir.”

“Have either of you indicated an _interest_ in seeing other people?”

“No, sir. Neither of us want to. We’ve talked a little.”

Rost nodded and clapped Avad on the shoulder. “Then there’s your answer, boy. If she doesn’t want to call it dating or a relationship, then leave it. It is what it is, no matter what it’s called.”

Aloy thought for a moment that Avad might start crying. Instead he took a deep breath, straightened up, and clenched the candy bar firmly against his chest with a solid nod. “Thank you, Rost. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Aloy and I are headed to lunch. You can come if you pay for yourself.”

“I’ll pass, thank you.” He was looking toward Erend’s room. “I think …” There was an ungodly howl and screech that had them all wincing. “I think I’ll sit outside for a bit, actually. Lunch can wait.”

“Good choice. Aloy, child, put some shoes on before we go.”

She looked down at her bare feet. Vanasha had painted her toes a sparkling purple. “Oh, right.” Sandals would do. She preferred boots - especially in this weather - but she also wanted to show off her pedicure. Rost’s lips twitched as they got in the car. “Where do you want to go?” she asked him. “Anywhere is good.”

He placed his arm over the back of her seat and turned to watch as he backed out. “You don’t have to treat me, Aloy. It’s your own money.”

“So? I want to. You’ve been working really hard, and we don’t appreciate you enough.” The corners of his eyes tightened. “I want to, Rost.”

“As if I could make you change your mind once it’s made up.” He smiled at her. “Let’s go to the Lodge. I haven’t been in a while. We can get some practice in - if you’re not busy.”

“I had to reschedule five appointments and three dates for this lunch. I’ll have my secretary shuffle the rest of my day around.”

“You are a kind and benevolent mistress.”

Aloy snorted with laughter. “I’m not in charge of you.”

That made Rost bark with laughter. “You _really_ believe that? Because _I_ recall a time when you would have an absolute meltdown if I didn’t wear braids, makeup, and nail polish - that _you,_ at six years old, had done yourself - to work.”

She shook her head. “But you did it.”

“Of course I did. Just like I paid extra for seamless socks because Avad didn’t like ‘sock bumps,’ and cut all of Erend’s food into circles before he would eat it. You three are harsh taskmasters, but I enjoy the challenge. Do you need money for a dress or suit?”

Aloy rolled down her window and lay her hand outside of it, waving it along with the airflow as they drove. “No, thank you. I saw a couple that I liked, and was going to bring some pictures to Teb and see if he’ll make one for me. And pay him, of course.”

“You know he’s not going to accept payment.”

“I’m going to offer, anyway. Besides, he forgets how much money is in the tip jar if it’s full enough. I can sneak some in there.”

“Fair enough. Things are going well with Vanasha and Petra, then?”

“I think so. I told them about Nil. How it was just that once,” she went on quickly. Maybe Rost would believe her.

Rost was nodding. “Of course. Just once.” He didn’t believe her.

“Yeah. It basically boiled down to ‘We don’t get to tell you what to do, but really want a turn when you’re ready, and we’ll have to talk about everything again if this becomes a relationship.’ That’s all.”

“Good. They’re intelligent women. Is Vanasha still interested in the global intelligence community?”

“Yeah, and Petra’s going into weapons engineering. Oh, did you read that the Climate Refugee Memorial Museum is opening next May? And they should have New Zealand inhabitable again in the next year or so, too.”

“I read that, yes. The polar ice reconstitution is going well. Your mother worked on that project.”

That brought a smile to Aloy’s lips. “I know. Who’s running Miriam Technologies now, anyway?”

That got her an exasperated sigh. “There’s a temporary oversight board right now. There have been legal … Well. Your uncle is very good at tying things up in the legal system when he can’t have his way.”

Of course. _Him_ again. They pulled into the Lodge’s parking lot - the employee parking lot, which tickled Aloy a bit - and she pursed her lips. “So … not really _speaking of_ Ted, but kind of speaking of Ted … I got an invitation to the Engineering and Technological Symposium.”

“How did _that_ happen?”

She concentrated on getting her employee badge out of her pocket. “Well, a lot of military scientists will be there.”

“Right, the classes with Sona.”

“That Sona got me into, yeah. Will anyone from Miriam be there?”

“Probably. Are you going to go?”

They walked through the door and five Hatchlings swarmed her. Aloy knelt to hug them all. “I don’t know. Ted might be there.”

Rost took a breath as he signed in, and didn’t say anything until the swarm had led them to the weapons checkout booth, clamoring for Aloy’s attention. “He can’t stand not being in the limelight, so probably. _If_ you want to go, I’m not going to forbid you - but I _am_ going to insist that you go with either Avad or Varl.”

“Fair enough. Hey! Is that how we treat our bows and each other, Lupita? Really?” She got puppy eyes and just stared until the girl stopped beating Chiwetel with the bow and slung it over her back instead. “Good. Everyone, I’m not here to work today - this is my stepfather, Rost. We’re going to eat and then practice with the adults, ok? Don’t cry - I’ll be back next week. If you’re still here when we’re done, we can practice together later, ok?”

“Thrush Aloy! Thrush Aloy!” The girl had her hand in the air, waving frantically.

Aloy smiled. “Yes, Hatchling Aiyana?”

The little girl tugged at her skirt and looked up at her with big eyes. “You have a special daddy, too?”

“A what?” Aloy knelt and tilted her head. “A ‘special daddy?’”

“Uh-huh. I have two special daddies, and a Daddy, and a Mommy. On of my special daddies was my special mommy, but now he’s my special daddy.”

Rost had knelt, too, and nodded. “Yes. I’m Aloy’s special daddy, Hatchling Aiyana.”

“No!” He blinked as Aiyana scowled at him and clung to Aloy. “I’m Thrush Aiyana! I’m Thrush Aloy’s Thrush!”

He neither laughed nor corrected her. Instead, Rost lowered his head and took her hand gently. “Of course. My apologies, Thrush Aiyana. I didn’t know. Please forgive me.”

“Uhm … ok!” She slid out of Aloy’s arms, gave Rost a hug and a kiss on the cheek, then followed them. “Can I eat with you, Thrush Aloy?”

“Oh, Aiyana, let Aloy eat alone,” Talanaha said as she swooped down on the girl and picked her up, tickling her. “She said she may be able to practice with you later. What do you need to be in order to be a Thrush?”

Aiyana’s gray eyes lowered and her lips trembled. “... patient …”

“Good! Now go play. It’s good to see you again, Rost.”

He gave her a short bow. “And you, Sun-Hawk.”

She laughed. “Oh, please. ‘Talanah’ is fine. You were part of this Lodge long before I was.”

She was leading them to the restaurant area. Rost dwarfed them both, both in size and mass. “Rank is important, Sun-Hawk.”

“Well, I suppose _you_ calling me ‘Sun-Hawk’ helps legitimize my claim to the title. Though it really ought to be yours.”

She gestured for them to sit at a semi-secluded table. Rost looked at Aloy as he replied. “I don’t regret my choices.”

“Nor should you.” She clapped them both on the shoulder. “Lunch is on me.” Aloy jerked her head up. She had her card out already. Talanah recanted a bit. “At fifty percent off. Sorry. Didn’t mean to infringe on your treat. I’ll see you two later.”

Rost just smiled as a waiter came up and filled their water. “If I’d known I could get discounted food here, I’d have started coming a long time ago.”

“How long were you with the Lodge?” Aloy asked. She hadn’t known.

He shrugged and didn’t look up from the menu. “Until I had three children to take care of by myself.”

“... Oh.”

“I’ve never actually disenrolled myself, though.” Aloy perked up a bit. “So, technically, I’m still a member. My activity has just dropped severely since then.”

“Is that why you could afford to bring us here when we were younger?”

“I can afford to bring you _now,_ I just don’t have the _time._ But yes. Family members get discounts, as do children. I also suppose they felt sorry for me and gave me a pity discount. Not that I didn’t - or don’t - appreciate it.”

“You don’t take charity well,” was Aloy’s observance. She got a slight smile and a nod. “Though you’re pretty big on giving it.”

She got water flicked at her. “That reminds me of someone else I know.”

“I don’t know who it could be,” Aloy said as she shrugged and flicked some water back. “It’s a mystery.”

“A complete mystery.”

After they ordered, she asked what had been on her mind for a while. “Is Ersa going to break Avad’s heart?”

Rost’s eyes rolled so far back in his head that Aloy was surprised they didn’t pop out. “All-Mother be praised that I’m no longer that young and stupid. Ersa is _already_ breaking Avad’s heart - rather, he’s breaking his _own_ heart on her. Your brother has a very gentle soul, Aloy - he cares deeply, and he cares often. I’m not sure that Ersa realized that when she started dragging him around by the ---”

“--- goatee,” Aloy provided when he started coughing.

“Yes. Thank you. Goatee. That part.” He took a drink of his water and nodded in thanks as the waiter dropped their salads off. “You realize, Aloy, that every corporation on this planet is going to want you to join them. _Especially_ with you taking the courses on base. If you go to the Symposium, you’ll have to beat them off of you. They’ll offer you anything they can think of to get you to work for them. Just be sure to look into every offer - and every company - very carefully before you make a decision.”

“Well, I’m still in school, so I can’t.” Aloy took a decisive bite of her salad.

Rost snorted. “I should have pushed you to graduate sooner. You’re not learning anything new. How far ahead does the military course have you working?”

“Bio-engineering,” she mumbled through her food, then remembered they were in public and finished her bite before dabbing at her lips. “Uh, bio-engineering as it relates to robotics. Not anything like cyborgs, but how the robots we already have can be improved to reclaim lost land and make it habitable again faster. Nanotech construction can help a lot - just look at New Zealand - but it’s still a really touchy subject. No one disagrees, but … well, there’s political things about it, and I don’t care about that.” He was nodding. Aloy paused for a drink of juice. “I’ve completely lost you, haven’t I?”

“Your mother talked about things like this often enough for me to be able to get the gist of it.”

That made Aloy sigh as she looked around the restaurant. Its rustic appearance, with animal skins and heads on the walls, wooden construction, and skylights that provided all the light during the day, was in stark contrast to the artificial city on whose outskirts it sat. “I think the only corporation I trust is Miriam Technologies. I like the work that Mother did, but I just … I don’t know. Maybe I’m just being contrary, but everyone _assumes_ I’ll follow in her footsteps, and as much as I’m interested, all those assumptions make me really not want to. It’s petty. I know it’s petty. I’m a petty person.”

“No, you just dislike people dictating your life. Unfortunately, sometimes what people assume you’re going to do is, in fact, the best path for you. Do you think it is?”

“Well, I’m certainly not going to work for Ted.”

Rost laughed. “I can’t say no after you’re eighteen, but I do appreciate that.”

“I miss Mother.”

She was looking down at her meal as the waiter served it. She didn’t want to see the look on his face. When he responded, it was quiet. “So do I.”

“Petra and Vanasha asked about my father.”

That brought an uneasy silence as Rost shifted in his seat. He cleared his throat before speaking again. “And … what did you say?”

Aloy shrugged. “He and Mother divorced when I was two, Mother refused any child support, and he never cared enough to try to be a part of our lives. I don’t … It bothers me, but I don’t want to meet him. He could at least have written a letter.”

“... Is there anything you want to know?”

She pursed her lips and pushed her garlic mashed potatoes around. “I don’t know. It won't change anything. I curious, yeah, but … I think it would hurt more to know. What if he has another family that he cares more about? What if he’s a drunk? I want to know, but I want to not know even more. Does that make sense?”

Rost was clearly relieved. “It does.”

“Besides,” she said with a sudden grin at him, “you’re my special daddy, and that’s all I need.”

“That … Please don’t call me that.” She was covering her laughter as Rost shifted, uncomfortable for different reasons now. “It’s … She means it innocently. But … but please don’t call me that.” It was harder than Aloy had laughed in a long time. Rost let her, as they finished their meal. She was still chortling when they took up their bows and headed to the practice range. She was saving up for a sharpshot bow and so had checked that one out, testing its weight as they waited their turn. “This takes longer to draw back than a regular bow,” he told her as she set up her stance. He was behind her and held his arms around her as she notched an arrow and raised the bow.

It _did_ take longer, and she grunted a bit with the effort, but shook off his attempt to help. “I can do it.”

“My apologies. Until you’re used to it, your muscles are going to get tired more quickly.” She knew that, but let him talk. Maybe he thought she didn’t know, or maybe he wanted to feel like she still needed him to help her. Either way, his instructions were short and to the point, and never once was he condescending. The first arrow went over the grazer dummy, but the next shot hit, and each subsequent shot hit closer and closer to the center.

“I need to work on my arm strength,” she panted a little as said arms finally started to shake with the effort of drawing the bow back. Rost snorted and drew his own bow - seventy-five pounds of draw weight - and had to turn his arrows to the grazer in the next lane when the center of theirs was full of them. “Wow, show-off.”

“I’m a little rusty.”

 _“That’s_ a _little_ rusty?” Talanah laughed as she came over. She’d been walking up and down the line, making sure everyone’s posture and technique was accurate. “How is _that_ rusty in the slightest?”

“Hm?” Rost turned his head to look at her and loosed three arrows at once, each of which hit dead center in the targets on three different dummies. “Pardon?”

The archers on the range had gone silent. Talanah’s eyes were wide. Rost just gave her a tight smile. She nodded. “Ok. Carry on, Hatchling Rost.”

“You’re too kind, Sun-Hawk Talanah.” Aloy got a wink before Rost got in as much practice as he wanted, then ushered her into the gym to work on her arm and upper-body strength. She was soaked in sweat when they finally finished and showered in the locker rooms, and she was dozing off as they drove home. She barely registered him carrying her to her room, then he said something about sleep and she thought she heard Nil respond. She was laid on her bed and disrobed just enough to be comfortable sleeping, then someone curled around her as she finally dropped into dreams.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Teb is adorable, Ted is a dick, and Aloy and Nil have a murder date. There's also advancement of the story.

Teb’s face absolutely lit up when Aloy walked into the tailor’s shop. “Aloy!” He hurried around the counter and held his hands out, but didn’t try to touch her. “How are you?”

“I’m good, thank you. You?”

“I’m good, thanks.” He looked her up and down and then blinked hard before wiggling his fingers. “Let me see the pictures. Do you want a snack? Some tea? Come on, have a seat. Mekkie,” he asked the cashier, “please get Aloy some refreshments.”

“Oh, I don’t ---” But Mekkie was gone, so Aloy just handed the pictures over and sat. Teb sat next to her and nodded as he looked through them. “I like the skirt on this one,” she said as she pointed to the handkerchief skirt. “And I like the lighter, uhm, bottom of skirt of this one, and the matching … belt? That’s pretty wide for a belt. I’d like it in shades of brown, please. But I kind of like the two skirts on this one, with the slant of the top skirt, you know?”

“I see. Yes. Go on.”

“I like the bolero jacket - that’s a bolero jacket, right?”

“Close enough.”

“Ok. I like that part, too. Am I being too picky?”

Teb laughed and shook his head. “No. It’s your dress - I want it to be _exactly_ what you envision it to be.”

“Ok.” She pointed to another picture. “I’d like long sleeves, but tighter. And red and blue accents on the edges of the skirt and belt, I think.” She handed him a hand-drawn example. “I tried to edit it all into a rough example, but it didn’t work.”

Teb scanned the pictures in with his Focus and they popped up on the screen on the table in front of them. “That’s fine. What about this?” The first option was the slanted double-skirt dress with the bolero jacket and tight, long sleeves beneath it. The jacket was a light tan, as was the lower skirt, and the wide belt he added, and the rest was a dark brown. The tan skirt and belt had a light and dark blue trim with red accents around them. “Or this.” The second option was the handkerchief skirt with a second tan layer - with the same accents - under it, and the same belt, sleeves, and bolero jacket. “You like suede, right?” She nodded, and the samples changed their texture and how they fell. Even Aloy could tell that the suede wouldn’t work, and she and Teb made the same dissatisfied noise at the same time.

They laughed a bit. “Ok, you choose the fabric. You’re the expert.”

It changed immediately to a more lightweight fabric that was still somewhat stiff, but had a slight sheen to it. “Light silk, slightly starched and stretched. That will keep the heavier fabric feel that you like, but it will be easier to move around in. I’d also suggest dark brown leggings and boots - maybe knee-height, with a low heel.” The images changed and Aloy let out a low whistle.

“You know my fashion tastes extremely well, Teb.” He started to blush. “I like it. I can’t decide which one I want.”

“Stand up and turn around, please.” He twirled his pencil in his hand as she did as he asked, his gaze nothing but professional and courteous. The scars on his hands from his fall into a herd of Striders and Watchers - and the resultant heart-stopping trek to get free of them - were jagged but still fading. “Hmm … I think I like the handkerchief skirt. You do tend to favor angles in your clothing.”

“Sharp angles to match my sharp wit.” Teb laughed again. “Can I stop turning? I’m getting dizzy.”

“Yeah, sure. Let me get your measurements. This way.”

She followed him to the raised dais that would measure her and project a holographic facsimile of the completed outfit onto her. She stripped to the tank-top and shorts she’d worn under her usual clothing just for this purpose, and while Teb’s cheeks were on fire as she stood with her arms at her sides at a forty-five-degree angle, he concentrated on adjusting the settings. The dais shifted a bit, the part under her heels lifting just slightly to emulate the size of the boot heels she’d get. Teb’s cheeks cooled a little once the outfit had been projected onto her. She looked down at herself, then in the mirrors provided, and twisted and turned as she examined the evolving outfit. He made a few adjustments as she did. The fit around her waist tightened, the dip in the sweetheart neckline raised until it was more of an indentation, The outer dark brown skirt raised so about six inches of the tan skirt showed, and the sleeves of the bolero jacket disappeared. Aloy grabbed the holographic skirt and was swishing it in her hands as she waited and looked around.

“And … there. What do you think?”

“I like it,” she declared. “I could take down a Watcher in it.”

“And when you’re going to a fancy event, that’s the main thing you want in an outfit.” The machine shut down and Teb didn’t look directly at her as he came around the control booth.

“Oh, absolutely. Form _and_ function are both very important in fashion.” He still wasn’t looking at her and she remembered she was mostly naked - at least, naked enough for Teb to be uncomfortable. Aloy hopped off the dais and started putting her clothes back on. “How much is it?”

“Oh, no, don’t worry. I haven’t hit my quota for charity yet this month. It’s fine. Uhm, I’ll have it done by Friday? There are a few ahead of you. Is that ok?”

Aloy nodded and almost wanted to ruffle the thick brown hair that was twisted into a few loose rows on the top of his head. The blue of his facial tattoos contrasted with the red of his cheeks. “Ok, if you say so. I’ve got to go. Thank you so much.”

Vanasha and Petra were waiting outside - they’d all agreed on a general color scheme, but the actual outfits were supposed to be a surprise. Teb’s flush returned and he looked down as he fiddled with some supplies. “Yeah. Yeah, sure. I’ll let you know when it’s ready. Oh, uh, wait.” He turned and hurried into the back room, then came out with a small box full of covered containers. _“Igunaq,_ from my _Ananaksaq._ She wants to know when Rost is bringing you all back for a visit. She says the seals are getting to be too many.”

Aloy had already slipped some money into the tip jar, and took the box with a smile. “Tell her thank you. I don’t know when we can visit again - Rost has to work so much, you know? But I’ll bring it up. Thank you again.”

He showed her out and nodded to Petra and Vanasha. “Of course. It’s my pleasure. I’ll see you soon. Vanasha; Petra.” He nodded to them both, and they nodded back.

“Thanks!”

“‘Bye, Teb! Is that food?”

Aloy nodded. “Yeah, it’s from his grandmother. It’s _igunaq_ \- fermented meat; probably walrus or seal. Rost is going to be happy.”

“Fermented … meat?”

“Mm-hm.” She nodded as she put it in the car and buckled it in. “It’s good - want some?”

Vanasha shook her head. “Uh, no, thank you. I’m not one for fermented anything. Besides, if Rost likes it, I don’t want to deprive him of any. Let’s go get something non-fermented - on us. You paid last time.”

“Sure.” Aloy flipped her red hair behind her shoulder. “I like our … outings. I like spending time with you two.” Not calling it a thing didn’t mean it wasn’t that thing.

Petra and Vanasha nodded. “We like it, too, Red. So … how short is the dress?”

“I can take down a Watcher in it.”

They were doing the mental math. Aloy just smiled to herself. “So … it’s either _really_ short, or has some flow to it. Or both. Is it both?”

“It’s a secret. You’ll have to wait and see.”

Vanasha narrowed her eyes. “She’s learning to flirt.”

“She’s learning to flirt _well.”_ Petra took one arm and Vanasha took the other. Aloy tried to raised her hands to their upper arms, but they’d taken her wrists and were running the tips of their fingers across her palms. Aloy’s breath caught and she froze as they rounded a corner. “Ah, there we go. That’s ---”

“It’s not that. Let’s go.” Aloy turned and tried to push them back around the corner, but a disgustingly familiar tenor called out to her before she could get away.

“Aloy! Aloy! Come here! Wow, I haven’t seen you in forever!”

“Just go, please, just go,” Aloy whispered. By the time Vanasha and Petra, both confused by the situation, had finally turned, five people had caught up to them.

“Aloy, what’s wrong?” Ted put his hand on her shoulder to turn her around and she jerked away, staring straight ahead. “You must be Petra and Vanasha. Pleasure to meet you. I’m Ted Faro - I’m Aloy’s uncle.”

“Likewise,” Vansha told him smoothly. “I’m sorry, Mr. Faro, but we’re really busy right now. We need to go.”

He laughed. “Oh, it’s ok. Aloy ---”

“Leave me alone,” she snapped.

“Now, Miz Sobeck ---”

“Don’t, General Cho. Just let us go.”

“Is that how you talk to the man who lets you attend highly advanced educational courses for free?”

“I just want you to leave me alone,” was her firm reply. “I’m not supposed to talk to you.”

“Yeah, well, your step-father ---”

“Is a better man than _you’ll_ ever be,” she snarled as she whipped around. She almost thought the man standing next to and a little behind him was Avad, before registering his extra height and mass, hair shaved but for five or so rows on the top of his head that were pulled back into a ponytail, and cold eyes. “We’re leaving. General, I’ll see you Monday.” The other two people in the group - Eclipse members - were in front of them when Aloy turned back around. “Ted, let us go.”

His short sigh was irritated. “Aloy, I just wanted to talk with you about the Symposium. You’ll be coming, right? I’ve got a lot of friends that I want you to meet ---”

“And I don’t want to meet them!” she exclaimed as she whipped back around. “Nobody does! _We don’t want you anywhere near us,_ Ted, ok?”

“Aloy, look, Elisabet’s death ---”

“Was your fault.” She wished she had some sort of weapon. Maybe she could punch his ugly, stupid face before his bodyguards stopped her. “You’re the reason she’s dead. Don’t talk to me about her. Don’t talk to me at all. General, please, make him leave me alone.”

The short, squat General shrugged. “I would take it as a personal favor if you would attend, Miz Sobeck. I don’t think you need socialize with your uncle there, but it _would_ be good for your future if you came.” Ted’s bodyguard was still staring at her. Aloy didn’t think he’d blinked once. She threw him a glare and then looked away.

“I’ve waived the admission fee for you,” Ted added helpfully. “We’ve got big plans, Aloy.” He gestured behind himself. “This is - oh.”

The burly man had touched his shoulder, once, and Ted shut up. It wasn’t like him to let anyone tell him what to do. “Then no,” Aloy said. Ted and General Cho raised their eyebrows. “No. I’m not going. I wanted to, but now I’m not - not with you harassing me about it. Whatever you want with me, I’m not going to be a part of it.”

Ted’s shoulder got touched again. The man had never taken his eyes off of Aloy. Ted’s shoulders slumped a bit, but General Cho nodded. “My apologies, Miz Sobeck. This is a more … volatile … relationship than I had been led to believe.”

“Not really, if she’d just ---”

“Regardless,” the General went on, “we’ll be on our way. Please do reconsider once you’re calmer, Miz Sobeck, but you won’t be approached about it again. Good day, ladies. Mr. Faro, this way, please. About the bio-mass conversion idea you’ve had …” They turned away, with Ted’s bodyguard looking over his shoulder at her with a smirk crossing his face that made Aloy uncomfortable.

She turned and stalked back around the corner, with Petra and Vanasha right beside her. “I want to go home,” she whispered. “I’m sorry. I need to go home. I want to be alone.”

“No, you’re fine, little spark. Come on. Damn, I don’t know if Helis wants to fuck or kill you. That was weird.”

“What?” Petra had gotten into the back seat with her, and Aloy looked at her with a frown. “What’s Helis got to do with this?”

Petra just stared at her for a moment. “The man with your uncle? The really scary one? That kept staring at you? That’s Helis.”

Aloy stared at her. “... Helis.”

“Yeah. Helis.”

“... _That_ was Helis.”

“The guy who keeps sending you his regards and having people follow you around,” Vanasha put in. “Head of Eclipse. That guy. That was him. That was Helis.”

Aloy’s body went cold and she felt nauseous. “He can’t be Helis.”

“Well, he is. He looks kind of like - ow!” Short as it was, her hair was still long enough to be yanked on, which Petra had just done.

“Oops. Sorry, darling. It was an accident. Let’s just get Aloy home.” They were quiet all the way there, and Aloy’s goodbye kisses were gentle after they’d handed her off to Erend, who was splayed out shirtless on the porch. “We’ll see you later. Uh … you need help with him?”

“Can’t keep off his dick long enough to practice,” Erend muttered as he stared up at the porch’s overhang.

“Naw, he’s sober. Enough. Erend, come on, get up. You’re going to freeze.” She toed at her brother’s burly frame. “Ok, freeze.”

She expected to hear Avad and Ersa hard at work, so to speak, but she didn’t hear a thing until she was at her door. Then she heard Avad’s violin and a soft, clear alto singing along. Ersa _did_ have a good voice. Aloy tried to lay down and rest - as depressing as it was, Avad’s melancholy music preference _did_ help her sleep - but was up a few minutes later and pacing around. It had been a few years since Ted had tried to make any sort of contact with her. With his excitement over her possibly going to the damn Symposium, she was reluctant to label their meeting a chance one. Helis’ cold stare haunted her - she cringed and crossed her arms tightly over her chest as her stomach twisted and felt sick each time she thought of it. She wanted to scrub every part of herself with boiling hot water to get her skin to stop crawling.

“Bad day, huh?”

Aloy whipped around and kicked Nil in the face as he leaned in her window with his chin in his hand. He yelled as he fell out of it, baritone voice hitting embarrassingly high notes as he hit the ground with a thud. _“Shit!”_ Aloy jumped out the window and landed with a roll - it was only the second story, so it wasn’t necessarily a fatal fall - and scrambled over to his prone body. “Nil, are you ok?” She scanned him with her Focus, but didn’t bring up any obvious injuries. “Nil?”

He coughed and took several gasping breaths before he could answer. “... yeah. …. Probably.”

She rolled him over and felt for broken ribs. “I’m so sorry. You startled me.”

“... I noticed. Damn. Your reflexes are better than I thought.” He reached up and she helped him sit, awkwardly half-patting, half-rubbing his back. “Ooh, scratch a little, about an inch down.”

“Only because I kicked you out of my window.”

He laughed, then coughed again. “I accept that. Oooh, right there. Yeah, that’s nice. Why are you all in a tizzy? I stayed over three days ago - surely you can’t be ready for another round yet.”

“Don’t flatter yourself.” Aloy’s voice dripped acid. Nil propped himself up on his arms and leaned back, watching her with a half-smirk and narrowed eyes. “I ran into my uncle. He ruins everything.”

“... I see. And … ?”

“And what?”

“And what else happened?”

She shook her head and looked up at Avad’s window. “I don’t want anyone to know about Ted, much less …”

“Aloy.” He put his hand on her cheek. “I’m not going to tell anyone. Did you kill someone?”

 _“No,_ Nil. It’s … Helis was there, too.”

That made him blink and draw back with raised eyebrows and a grin. “Leader of Eclipse? Kind of has an odd obsession with you? _That_ Helis?”

“Yeah,” she muttered, _“That_ Helis.”

“Oh, you naughty girl. Talking to Faro _and_ Helis?”

Aloy sat and held her arms tightly around her knees. “I didn’t talk to him. He just … stared at me the entire time. It made me feel gross.”

“Hm. Do you _want_ to kill someone?”

It wasn’t the joking tone he usually used when enticing her to murder. It was honest, and serious. Aloy narrowed her eyes at him. “... What are you talking about?”

He got to his knees and leaned forward slowly. Aloy turned her head a little, suspicious, but he just placed a gentle kiss to her lips. “Do you want to kill someone?” he whispered against her skin. “I want to kill someone with you.”

If he was just trying to get under her skin, he was doing a damn good job of it. Aloy shuddered a little and pushed him away. His eyes were half-closed and he had a dreamy smile. “You make it difficult to like you.”

“What about _several_ someones?” he pressed. “It’ll get your mind off of things. And you’ll help society. A little boy’s family will be _so_ grateful to you.”

He kissed her again and Aloy let out a slow breath. “You’re not joking, are you?”

“No.” He licked her lower lip. “I know right where they are. Worms, hiding in their rotten hole, skittering away from the light of day and polluting everything they touch. They wound my professional pride.”

She blew out a breath when he kissed her again, and he drew back with a perturbed shake of his head. “Then call the police.”

“The police are the ones who hired them. At least, one particular officer. I don’t want to alert him.”

“No, you just want to kill people.”

She turned her head when he tried to kiss her again. He went for her ear, instead. She shuddered. “Yeah. I do. Do you want to help a little boy, or not? Hiro N’yong’o - he’s been in the news.”

He was a politician’s son - a politician known for resisting corporate orders. He’d been missing for almost a month and whoever had taken him was demanding a hefty ransom. They’d started sending his family fingers. Aloy snorted. “He’s too important for anyone to know where he is. I don’t believe you.”

“He wasn’t taken by professionals - only some scum looking for a quick fortune. Law enforcement is looking in the wrong places. And the officer who hired the maggots is making sure it stays that way. Come with me, Aloy. If I’m wrong, I have a good laugh at your expense. If I’m not, then you help save a little boy from having even _more_ bits cut off of him.”

“How did _you_ find him, then?”

“Purely by accident. A fortuitous, fortuitous accident. Are you with me, or not?”

If he was telling the truth, she couldn’t let him go alone. “... Will they have guns?”

His gray eyes lit up. “Let’s find out.”

She took a deep breath and pursed her lips. “... Fine. Let me get my bow.”

The shuddering breath Nil let out was almost sexual. “Good. Bring as many arrows as you can.”

She avoided another kiss, stood, and took a jogging start and jumped, grabbing the handholds Rost had put on the side of the house, pulling herself up and through her window. By the time she was ready, wearing the reinforced hunting outfit she wore to the Lodge, Erend was back to practicing guitar and Ersa and Avad had finally started having sex - the only time she’d been glad she could hear them. She left easily under the cover of all the noise, and met Nil at the end of the driveway. “Alright, where are we going?”

He sauntered off down the street. “It’s a hike, but it’s near some old hunting grounds. I was looking for a quiet place to hunt ---”

“You mean bury a body.”

“No, I was hunting wildlife for once. I saw the smoke from a fire that shouldn’t have been there, and went poking around. Lo and behold, my prayers for easy kills had been answered. If we’re caught, we were just hunting.”

“Mm.” He got them on the transit system headed out of town, toward the foothills to the west. “You know I have to be up early in the morning, right?”

“We’re only going to Byers Peak.” The train rocked from side to side as it went down the rails and turned corners, and Nil looked down at her with a grin when she grabbed at a hand loop and missed, bumping into his chest. “You’re pretty short.” Still, he moved his arm so that he could hold onto the strap and she could hold onto his bicep, not saying another word about it. He was quiet, in fact, for the hour or so it took to get to their stop in the Arapoho National Forest. “This way,” he murmured. He took her by the elbow and led her off the train. The tourists went one way and they went the other, ducking into the forest and walking at a brisk pace.

“You can let me go,” Aloy finally told him.

“I could.”

“So let me go.”

“No.” Nil looked around after a moment, then stopped and pressed her against a tree. He put one finger to her lips and leaned in until the tip of his nose brushed hers. “Listen to me. Are you listening?” Aloy nodded. The air was far fresher than in the city - crisper. His eyes were intense as he looked her face over. “This is not hunting at the Lodge. This is not hunting rabbits and turkeys and whatever else you’ve ever hunted. These men aren’t professional kidnappers, nor are they professional murderers - but they _are **experienced**_ killers. They won’t hesitate to murder a pretty red-head who wanders into their camp. They won’t hesitate to do a _lot_ of things to you.” She took a breath to calm the heavy beat of her heart and nodded. He narrowed his eyes and moved his hand around her neck, squeezing ever so gently. “If they catch you - if I have to run - I will. I won’t hesitate to leave you behind. Do you understand?”

Aloy grabbed his wrist as he squeezed a little tighter. She was really hoping he was just pulling a _very_ elaborate prank on her. “I understand.”

“If it makes you feel better, I’ll do my best to kill you before I go. I’ve seen what these demons do to people - I _will_ leave you, but I _won’t_ leave you to suffer.”

“Oh, that makes me feel a lot better, thanks.”

Now he was looking at her with the same expression as when she’d first kissed him - the same expression as whenever they had their dalliances. He was willing to do it - maybe even wanted to - but he was going to wait for her permission. “You _will_ end up killing people today, Aloy. I want you to understand that. If you come with me, you’re not leaving with clean hands. The gang we fought was a delightful accident - _this_ is premeditated murder. We have another hour’s hike ahead of us. If you want to turn back, do it now. I’m not.”

The presence of bandits, for lack of a better term, had exploded in the area during the Great Die-Off. Police and military action had greatly reduced their numbers, but there were still small strongholds to be found in the wilds, and they were vicious. There was a little black-haired boy, who hadn’t done anything wrong, who was having fingers cut off because his parents weren’t coughing up the money fast enough. If Nil was right and there was a corrupt police officer helping them, the boy might die.

Aloy raised her chin and stared Nil in the eye. “I’m not leaving. Where are they?”

The slight head-turn and squint of the eyes that she got, the way Nil started to grin, was off-setting. “Well,” he murmured. “I may have to rethink my resolve not to fall in love with you.”

She scoffed and pushed at him. “Shut up and lead the way. Is there anything else I need to know?”

“They’ll have an alarm in the camp. It will call more of them, crawling out of the ground. Normally I don’t mind it - the more to kill, the merrier - but we may want to disable it today. Don’t want the police to come poking around, and all.”

“Won’t they have security cameras?”

“They didn’t from what I saw - and I’m sure your Focus could pinpoint them.”

“Why don’t you - Wait, why don’t _you_ have one?”

Nil laughed a bit. “I don’t like inviting the government to keep track of my activities - and you’re a fool if you think they aren’t.”

“... Sure. Ok.”

They didn’t say anything else as they made their way through the forest. Sometimes they crouched down to avoid a wild Watcher or two, ones that had broken free of the networks that humans controlled them with before the Great Die-Off, and had gone off on their own to forge a new sort of existence. Aloy was glad that her leather outfit was warm - winter was coming, and it was coming hard. There would be snow that night. She could see her breath by the time she could smell the woodsmoke and Nil gestured for her to stop and crouch down. He jerked his chin toward the run-down jumble of buildings.

“How many?”

She scanned and marked all the ones she could find. “At least ten.”

“Only ten? That’s boring. Oh, well - maybe more will come. Can you see the boy?”

Aloy narrowed her eyes. “It looks … yes. Smaller body, looks maybe like he’s tied up. Below ground. Cellar, maybe?”

“I don’t care. You stay here - I’ll go around the northern entrance. When you take them out, do it quietly. We should clear as many out as possible.” Aloy’s chest was pounding with fear and anticipation. She wondered if this made her a sociopath, too. But still, they _would_ get the death sentence if the proper authorities found them, and the boy _did_ need rescued … “Aloy?”

“Yeah, got it. There’s some tall grass I can sneak through. I’ve got traps, too.”

He tweaked her nose with a grin. “Good. Give me five minutes. Let’s get to it.”

It was just like hunting machines and animals. Just like it. Aloy took slow breaths to steady herself and planned out her advance. There were patrols and sentries set up, but on the whole, the group didn’t seem too concerned with safety. They - apparently - had the police on their side, after all. Shock traps would do best, she thought. Put them at the sides of the entrance in the tall fence that surrounded the camp, maybe with one blast trap to make sure they were alerted if anyone came in from the outside. She needed to get in and get out as quickly as possible. There was a sack of what appeared to be explosive fluid in the center of the camp - that must be the alarm. If she was lucky, she could slice it open and drain it.

Her Focus rumbled in her ear. Her five minutes was up. Aloy took a breath and crept out of the woods as she watched the sentries. She had to take a quick dive into the tall grass, but even with her hair, between the height of it and the browns of her outfit, she should be well-hidden. She dropped a shock trap on either side of the entrance - the size of the camp and the small number of bandits kept them from being able to thoroughly patrol the area - and then dodged behind a barrel as a man turned the corner of one of the buildings. He was muttering to himself about the cold and the whiny child, and didn’t notice her. Aloy was hesitant to draw her bow until she flicked her Focus on and it identified him. She got three crimes in on his wanted profile before she was drawing the string back and letting the arrow fly. His body jerked and he went down with the softest of thuds. Aloy scanned the area, then hurried over to his body and pulled the arrow out of him - she had to push it the rest of the way through his skull, actually, and tell herself each step of the way to only think of it as a particularly large boar. Nothing else. She’d just murdered a man in cold blood. It was just a boar.

There was a soft noise and she jerked around, but didn’t see anything. She shook her head and licked her lips before mapping out her path to the alarm. She took out three more bandits - three more boars --- on her way, and passed faint scuff marks that indicated Nil had also been through the area. There was no one nearby when she ran up to the alarm and slashed it open, but as she rounded a corner to get back out of sight she bumped into a guard. They both grunted in surprise, then his eyes flew wide and he let out a yell that was cut short when a knife jerked itself across his throat. He slid to the ground to reveal Nil behind him, and she got an impatient glare.

“Be _quiet,”_ he admonished her.

“I _was,”_ she snipped back.

“Not quiet _enough.”_ He took her arm and pulled her behind the building as he looked around. There was blood on her face. Boar blood. “It’s clear up here. Where’s the kid?” They were actually murdering people. And Nil was acting like he did it all the time. Aloy swallowed past her dry throat, checked her Focus again, and pointed. They would be done soon, and if there was a police officer involved then they shouldn’t call the police, but … but there were so many boars around. They’d killed so many. The police shouldn’t be involved.

But she _did_ have the number of a detective who would probably look the other way even as he helped them. Aloy’s finger twitched over his contact information right before she clicked the Focus off. Nil was going to murder her when he found out. She put her hand on his shoulder when they got to the right building, pointing to it and holding up three fingers, then pointing to where the bandits were. She got a nod before Nil repositioned himself and pushed the door open. Their first arrows took out the first two men, and the woman who jumped up barely had time to do _that_ before Nil’s second arrow slammed through her chest. He was gathering his arrows, too, Aloy noted as they moved through the room. Two more women went down and then they were at the door to the cellar. Aloy shook her head.

“He’s alone,” she whispered.

“Smells like a trap, to me. We should be careful.” The single blast trap that Aloy had set boomed to life, then yelling filled the air. Nil shrugged. “What the hell, might as well spring it.” He kicked the door down as Aloy trained her bow down the hall, then nudged her. “Go get him, tiger.”

“Shut up,” she muttered. “Hiro?” she called. There was the sound of crying from down the cellar stairs. The lights worked when she flicked them on, at least. “Hiro? I’m here to take you home.”

“You might want to hurry, dear,” Nil said over his shoulder.

When she got into the cellar, Hiro was in a corner, tied to a chair and blindfolded with a rag tied tight around his mouth. She started cutting through the ropes tying him down as she spoke. “Hiro, my name is Aloy. I’m here to help you. Ok?” He started crying harder. He was missing three fingers on his left hand. It had been badly bandaged. He flinched every time she touched him, and Aloy’s lips pursed before she pulled the blindfold off. “Look at me, Hiro. Do I look like a bandit? I need you to be quiet, alright?” She gently pulled the gag down and held her arms out. “Will you trust me? I’m going to take you home.”

The little boy stood there and quivered in terror for a moment before the door upstairs slammed and Nil shouted something, then he threw himself at Aloy with a short scream of fear. Aloy picked him up and hurried to the stairs. Nil was still at the top, firing arrows as fast as he could, and she put Hiro down again. “Hiro, I need to help my friend. I need you to be brave, ok? Be brave for me.”

“Are you with the Lodge?” he asked.

“What?” She looked down at her outfit, then nodded. “Yes. I know Sun-Hawk Talanah. I’m her Thrush. Will you be brave for me, please?” She got a sharp, jerky nod, and he followed her closely as she headed up the stairs. Nil reached back to an empty quiver and his hand met one of her arrows as she held it out. He grinned as he kept firing.

“Aloy! So good of you to join me! And the young master Hiro, as well. Splendid!”

“Shut up and shoot.” She said it as she stuffed his quiver full, then knelt beside him and started her own barrage. “What happened?”

“Someone set off your lovely trap, obviously.” He ducked an arrow and then picked it up, sending it right back to its owner’s heart. “I dislike blast traps and wires in general, but my, do they make good alarms.”

The bodies were filling up the door and they were running out of arrows. “Why don’t they have guns?”

“You can’t own one if you’re a registered criminal,” was the response. “And it’s dreadfully difficult to get around the identi-scans, anyway. It’s just not worth it.”

“And how do you know this?”

He grinned. “I’ve tried it. Why do you think I own a bow?”

Aloy was about to answer when the onslaught stopped without warning or fanfare. She and Nil tensed, then looked at each other after a moment. There was a dull thudding in the air, a change in the pressure, a pulsing in their ears and an electricity that made their hair stand on end. She opened her mouth to ask what was going on. Nil dropped and slammed them all back into the cellar, arms around her and Hiro. They tumbled down the stairs and Aloy was sure she felt a rib break, but it was nothing like the concussive blast that blew the ground level of the house right off. It dazed them even underground, and Aloy watched through unfocused eyes as the cellar door splintered and shattered along with the rest of the building. Her Focus was rumbling in her ear, then a voice broke through it.

“Aloy. Aloy, this is Marad. Can you hear me? Aloy, this is Detective Marad. Can you hear me, Aloy?”

“Huhhhh?”

“Thank the Sun you’re alive. Do you have the child?”

His voice was muffled and distant. She wondered if she’d suffer permanent hearing damage. Nil appeared to have been knocked unconscious. Hiro was hiding in the corner. “Uh-huh …”

“Good. We don’t know what just hit you, but we’re on our way. Can you hold out for another five minutes?”

It was always five minutes, wasn’t it? She didn’t know. Her head was clearing. “Yeah … Yeah. Yeah, we can.”

“Good. You’ll know when we get there.”

She wasn’t sure how he’d made her Focus answer his call, but at the moment, Aloy didn’t care. She shoved debris off of herself and crawled over to Nil. “Nil. Nil, wake up.” She threw herself back as he jerked upright and slashed his knife right where her stomach would have been. “Nil!”

He didn’t apologize, just looked around. “Oh. Did we win?”

“Shut up,” she hissed. There were voices outside the cellar. She pushed him to the corner that Hiro was huddled in. “They hit us with something. I’m not sure what it was. We have to hold out for five minutes.”

He was examining his bow for any damage, and glanced up at her briefly. “Oh? And what happens in five minutes?”

“Marad gets here.”

Nil let out a low whistle and a chuckle. “Oh. Well. I see.”

“Yeah, I’m sure you think you do.” Aloy crouched down again and touched Hiro’s arm. “Hey, Hiro. We’re almost free, ok?”

“They’re going to kill you,” the boy whimpered.

“No, sweetie, we’ll be fine. My friends are on the way.”

He was shaking his head. “They said they’d kill you. You’re Aloy. They’ll kill you.”

“That doesn’t --- Ok, look, Hiro. I promise I’m not going to die.” She held his shoulders and touched their foreheads together. “I promise. I’m going to get you out of this. You’re going home to your mothers tonight.”

“A nice sentiment,” Nil muttered. “Look alive, Aloy.”

There were footsteps at the entrance to the cellar, then a shadow fell down the stairs. “Well, well, well,” a man called to them, “what have we here?”

“Why don’t you come down and find out?” Aloy called back.

He wasn’t that stupid. It got her a laugh. “No, I don’t think I will. Tell me - before I kill you - who hired you, girl?”

“Oh, I’m just a good Samaritan,” was her reply. “You?”

“It will lessen your suffering if you tell me who sent you, girl.”

Nil was creeping toward the stairs. “Honest, I wasn’t hired by anyone. I was hiking through, saw the smoke, checked it out, and put two and three together. That’s all. I’m sorry, we haven’t been introduced.”

“It’s ‘two and two,’ girl. And no, we haven’t. But I don’t hear you offering _your_ name, either.” His voice was smooth like poison.

“Oh, sorry - I’m John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt.”

“You don’t say?” was his amused reply. “That would be my name, too.”

Nil was trying to see through the cracks in the stairs, bow at the ready. Aloy laughed. “You don’t say? Small world, huh?”

“Indeed. Before I send my men in to kill you, girl, again - who sent you?”

“Again,” Aloy told him, “no one.”

She got an irritated growl. “So be it, girl, if that’s what - what?” He turned away slightly, talking to someone she couldn’t hear. There were four other people in the ruined building with him, and twenty or so more roaming the destroyed camp. “Are you - Fine. You’re sure. Absolutely? Yes, yes, fine.” He cleared his throat. “My apologies, my lady. Apparently you were meant for bigger things. We’ll meet again sooner or later, I suppose. Do enjoy the rest of your day.”

He turned and walked off and the same thudding in the air started. Nil had almost jumped out to follow the man, but turned instead and rolled across the cellar door to Aloy’s outstretched hand. All three of them huddled together as the painful blast went off again, preventing anyone from following the group. Aloy could feel her Focus rumbling at her, but couldn’t hear anything. Marad’s holographic image popped into view. He was trying to tell her something. He ended up clapping his hands twice, then there were two stomps from above. Three claps, three stomps. She nodded to show she understood, even as her brain kept trying to black out. She took Nil’s arm and gave him two pats when Marad clapped again, then pointed up when the two stomps happened. He raised his eyebrows, smiled, and nodded. She gave Marad’s image a thumbs-up, and it disappeared. The cellar was full of police and military a few seconds later. Aloy didn’t know if she was glad or afraid when Sona pulled her up.

“What happened, child?” she demanded. At least her hearing was returning.

“Hunting,” was the slurred reply. “Bandits. Hiro.”

“What was that weapon they used?”

“General, she’s likely got a concussion.” Aloy knew they were being airlifted because air travel always made her throw up. Sona just forced water on her and held the bucket. Marad was standing at the head of her bed when she woke up. She knew they were at the air base’s hospital because of all the people in uniform. “We _do_ need to stop meeting like this, Miz Sobeck.”

Her head was pounding, and she pressed her palm to it. “Is Hiro alright?”

“The boy is fine. A little worse for wear - a little lighter without three fingers - but he’ll be fine. His mothers are very grateful to you.”

“Nil!” Aloy tried to get out of bed but her sense of gravity shifted and she fell back and when she woke up she had straps on her wrists and ankles. Marad was sitting, now. He pointed. “Your friend is just fine, Aloy.” He was snarling to himself and testing the restraints that kept him tied to his bed, as well - apparently they were both restless patients.

“He doesn’t _look_ fine.”

Marad’s lips twitched. “Well, he’s as fine as can be at the moment. Tell me, now, what _exactly_ were you two doing _all_ the way out in the forest like that?”

“Hunting,” was Nil’s reply.

“Yes, I see that,” Marad said without turning around. “But why were you hunting bandits? Why were you hunting these _particular_ bandits?”

“We were hunting boars,” Aloy told him. So much boar blood. “We saw the smoke and poked around. My Focus identified a couple of the bandits and found Hiro. We put two and three together, decided Hiro couldn’t wait, and then I called you.” Nil was glaring at her for that. She’d inform him it had saved their lives later.

“It’s ‘two and ---’ You know what? It doesn’t matter.” Marad gave her a fleeting smile. “Did you see any of the bandits? Their leader? The weapon they used?” Aloy shook her head, but described the sensation to him. He sighed. “Well, we have no evidence that this, like the gang, was anything other than an unfortunate accident - albeit, one that saved a young boy’s life. I think we can close this part investigation.”

He stood up to go. “Thank you, Marad.”

“Oh, don’t thank me just yet, Miz Sobeck,” he said at the door. He looked over his shoulder. “Just be warned that you may find yourself in this situation quite a bit if you continue to … enjoy Nil’s company, shall we say. Get some rest. Your grandmother will be in to see you shortly.”

“Well, it’s a good thing Marad showed up when he did.” Aloy spoke casually.

“You’re not going to like it when I get you alone.” Nil didn’t.

“It saved our lives.” She leveled a hard stare at him. “We really need to stick with approved hunting grounds.”

“I’ll say,” Teersa laughed as she walked in. “Your mother could never stay out of fights when she was younger, either. True, hers were more intellectual, but you share her spirit, Aloy.”

“I’m sorry to drag you out of bed,” Aloy started.

She got a dismissive wave of the hand. “Oh, don’t be. Lansra was snoring. You can hear it three rooms down. And I’m glad for the exercise. They tell me they should discharge you soon. I’ll take you home. Are you alright?” Aloy nodded and let Teersa feel her forehead. “Yes, Granny.”

“Hmm.” The old woman patted herself, looking for a particular pocket. “Are you in pain? I have something for it, somewhere …”

“Uh, no, thanks.” Whatever herb it was, it was probably illegal. “I have school in the morning and work after it, you know?”

“Hmph. Well, I’ll leave some with Rost, just in case.”

Nil was looking interested. “I’ll take some.”

“Fifty dollars,” was the immediate, sharp reply.

Aloy put her hands up as Nil started to speak again. “Nil, please stop trying to buy drugs from my grandmother. Granny, please stop trying to sell drugs to Nil.”

She got offended looks from both of them. “Why, I would _never,”_ Teersa huffed.

“I’m insulted that you would think I’d pollute my body like that,” Nil complained. To Teersa, “Aloy lets me stay in her backyard, Granny. May I call you ‘Granny?’”

Teersa grinned. “Of course, boy. Everyone does.”

Aloy lay back and stared at the ceiling. “And now I’m complicit in a drug deal. Great.”

“Oh, I don’t sell drugs, dear.” Marad had just walked in, looked at Teersa, and snorted. “I do enjoy using herbs in baking, though - they have so many medicinal qualities. Can my granddaughter go, yet, Detective?”

“They’re filling out the discharge paperwork, ma’am. The Vanguard will see you all home.”

Aloy’s eyes went wide. “Oh, no ---”

“Aloy!” Ersa burst in in full uniform and stomped over to her. Aloy muttered a few more choice words as she tried to sink back into the bed.

“Oh, I see you know each other.”

“Avad is going to _kill me_ over this, Aloy. What were you doing out that far? You know those aren’t approved hunting grounds! Great, and now _Erend_ will want to go out there, too.” She was huffing and pacing, hands on her hips. “Rost is going to lock you in your room.”

“I’ll leave you all to it, then.” Marad bowed his way out, but no one really noticed.

Aloy shook her head. “Please, Ersa, it wasn’t that big a deal.”

“Oh?” The woman stopped and gave her a disbelieving look. “Really? Whatever weapon they used _flattened_ the area, Aloy. _Flattened_ it. There’s military involved in this, Aloy. That’s a _pretty big deal,_ if you ask _me._ And why were _you_ there, Nil?”

“We were hunting boars,” was his only reply.

She glared at him, then turned and started undoing Aloy’s restraints. “Fine, whatever. It doesn’t matter. Come on. Granny, are you coming with us?”

“I may as well,” the old woman said. “Rost and Avad will need to be kept at bay.”

“... I appreciate it.”

“Especially because, so I hear, Eclipse is once again footing the hospital bill.”

Ersa swore, but that was possibly because she’d jammed her thumb. “Great, _more_ shit to deal with.”

“You deal with Avad, child, and I’ll deal with Rost.”

“Is no one going to tell me why Eclipse helping is a bad thing?” Aloy asked. She was ignored and hustled off, and in her irritation and confusion, made the mistake of accepting tea from her grandmother once they were home. She would wake up ten hours later, with no memory of even having accepted the cup in the first place, and unable to move for another forty-five minutes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See? I _can_ do more than write smut!  
>  *  
> *  
> *  
> *  
> Hey, so, not only do I work really hard to write engaging, entertaining stories, but I do it for free. I don't plan on changing that, however, if you like my work and would like to pitch in to help me pay the bills, you can always toss me some change via [PayPal](https://www.paypal.me/LarissaFae) and I would be so incredibly overjoyed.
> 
> Thank you!


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a short one, but for maximum emotional impact, please listen to [Pentatonix's cover of 'Hallelujah'](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRP8d7hhpoQ) while you read.

It took two days to begin to recover from whatever Teersa had put in her tea. Even when she could finally get out of bed and stand on her own, Aloy’s center of gravity was constantly changing. The vertigo had her stumbling around the house and holding onto one wall while trying to walk along the base of the other. Erend followed her around and filmed the entire thing - he thought it was hilarious. No one had told him exactly how she’d gotten hurt - he was under the impression that she’d had a bad fall at the Lodge. Teersa always brought them treats that were mildly hallucinogenic, though, so he was happy that his grandmother was staying for a few days. She also kept the worst of the government officials at bay when they came over in dark suits and unmarked cars.

Aloy had to to swing her head around twice before she managed to get it upright, only to have it fall back. She clung to the doorframe of the living room and rolled her neck to the right. It got her head tilted to the side, and she stared into the room with her mouth hanging open and eye crossing. “Why … why are there … butterflies,” she mumbled.

“What butterflies, dear?” Teersa asked as she puttered around. She stepped over Avad and Ersa, who were laying on some clouds and had flowers growing out of their stomachs.

Aloy scrunched her face up as gravity shifted to her left, feeling the hard bump of the doorway against her shoulder. She rubbed her face on it and meowed as the walls around her pulsed with her heartbeat. “They’re … why are there ... butterflies … Granny …” She pressed the heel of her hand against her forehead to keep her head upright, and moved them both in a circle. “Why ....” The pulsing beat continued and she fell forward and grabbed onto the back of the couch, but it wasn’t the _couch,_ it was a _giraffe._ “You’re ... _extinct,”_ she told it accusingly. There was a soft chime somewhere, a few notes, a few memories. “Oh no.”

A hole had blossomed in the floor and Aloy sank into it, trying to tread water and blubbing as she kept sinking under. She whined. Then she whined in a higher pitch. Then she whined in a lower pitch. Erend’s face appeared next to her as her cadence of differing-pitched whines pushed her through a forest of boar heads on pikes, and he crooned along with her. The sounds of the liquid air filled her ears as she swayed her head to the beat. _“I’ve heard there was a secret chord …”_ Music filled the space around her body and lifted it along with her voice. _“That David played and it pleased the Lord … But you don’t really care for music, do ya?”_

Rost stood in the doorway and took a deep breath. “Teersa, why are all of my children on drugs?”

The weathered old woman just grinned at him as she dusted. Ersa and Avad had started singing, too, hands linked and raised to the ceiling. “What do you mean? This is the norm at _my_ house.”

_“The minor fall, the major lift … the baffled king composing hallelujah …”_

He stared down at the pool of red hair at his feet, the young woman who was pawing gently at the air with a dreamy smile, lost in a symphony only she could hear, her hazel eyes soft and at ease for once. Avad’s low voice joined in, his hands reaching out to trace over Ersa’s face.

_“Well, your faith was strong, but you needed proof … You saw her bathing on the roof … Her beauty in the moonlight overthrew ya …”_

“I can’t keep her protected forever. Any of them.”

She put her hand on his arm. “No parent can. We can only prepare them for the world the best we know how.”

Ersa laughed. _“She tied you to the kitchen chair - she broke your throne and she cut your hair …”_

_“And from my lips you drew the hallelujah …”_

“I couldn’t keep Lis safe, Teersa. I can’t keep _them_ safe, either. I should be able to.”

“You know the world doesn’t work that way, Rost. _You_ know that _very_ well.”

Rost knelt and touched the ends of Aloy’s hair as she sang, the tears welling in her eyes and starting to choke her, her voice breaking for reasons she didn’t understand at the moment. “It’s not something I have to just let happen, Teersa. There is _nothing_ about this that I have to _just let happen.”_

_“Well, baby, I have been here before … I’ve seen this room, and I’ve walked this floor … I used to live alone before I knew ya ...”_

“No. You don’t. But you must know that you cannot _prevent_ it, either.”

“I sat right there and _promised_ Lis that I would take care of them. Promised _them_ that I would take care of Lis. And I couldn’t do that. If I couldn’t keep Lis safe, then how could I ever hope to ---”

Aloy’s voice rose above them, crescendoing as she reached up with both hands toward something she would never be able to touch. _“And I’ve seen your flag on the marble arch - **and love is not a victory march** \- it’s a **cold** and it’s a **broken hallelujah** … Hallelujah … Hallelujah … **Hallelujah** … Hallelujah …”_

“No one knew what would happen, Rost. No one could have anticipated it. And Lis …” Teersa picked up a photo of the wedding - Lis was holding Erend in her arms, but Rost had Aloy and Avad on both of his shoulders as he stood behind her. “She never smiled so much as she did with you, Rost.”

“She loved her ---”

“No, Rost. With _you._ You saved my daughter as much as she saved you. I won’t ever forget that. Aloy has inherited more than just Lis’s genius - all of them have. She’s going to keep getting into trouble because that’s the only way she’ll make the world a better place.”

Aloy gasped, back arched, and stared up at the ceiling with wide eyes. _“And maybe there’s a God above .... but all I’ve ever learned from love ... is how to shoot somebody who outdrew you.”_ Her lips trembled, her tears left tracks from the corners of her eyes down her face. _“And it’s not a cry that you hear at night, **it’s not somebody who’s seen the light,** it’s a **cold** and it’s a **broken hallelujah …”**_

_“Hallelujah … hallelujah … **hallelujah** … hallelujah …”_

Rost lowered his head over her prone body as her voice cracked and faded, holding one hand in both of his as he joined the final moments of their song.

_“Hallelujah …”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> plz tell me u cried
> 
> a lot


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aloy looks through her mother's mementos, fights with Erend, gets long-awaited kisses, goes to the Symposium, meets Helis, and now I have to start deciding who to kill off and who to let live.

The attic was bitter cold to match the bitter cold outside. Aloy didn’t remember much of the past few days, but still she found herself kneeling in front of her mother’s cedar chest and pressing trembling hands to its latches. She hadn’t ever actually looked in it. She didn’t know what she would find. Rost and Erend were sparring in the backyard, tearing up the snow angels that she and Ersa had made earlier. Avad was practicing some political speech and railing against the injustice of corporate rule, his tone and pace drawn back and pushed forward with Ersa’s encouragement. Aloy couldn’t hear his words, only his voice, but still had the urge to clap whenever he paused. He was getting better. He’d decided to run for some position in the city government. The latches were bitter against her skin. Aloy bit her trembling lips and pushed the heavy wooden lid up.

The sweet smell of cedar rose up to envelope her, keeping away the staleness of time but not the faint settling of dust that rose up after it. Aloy coughed and waved her hand in front of her face to clear it. The top layer was covered with soft tissue paper, the inside of the lid with a collage of pictures of Aloy and her brothers, of her mother when she was younger, of hr and Rost. Some of them were oddly cut. Beneath the tissue was her mother’s wedding dress, and Aloy took it gently in her hands and raised it out of the chest to look it over. It was boat-necked with three-quarter sleeves, and the skirt was just poofy enough to not be tight. Some of the buttons in the back were missing - in a small plastic bag tucked into the pair of white heels beneath the dress - and the seam below them was ripped. Aloy held it up to the light with a soft frown, wondering how it had happened. It was clearly something that her mother had wanted to … commemorate? Remember, at least.

Aloy carefully folded the dress again and set it and the heels aside. There was a photo album beneath it. Aloy pulled it into her lap and ran her fingers over the raised letters of her mother’s last name across the front. She had the sudden fear that she would find her real father within its pages, but as she flipped through, he was absent - absent to the point of, much like the photos covering the inside of the chest’s lid, some photos having obviously been cut to take him out of them. Past a sick clenching of her heart, Aloy found that she didn’t mind. There were physical clippings of her mother’s accomplishments when she was younger. She’d gone to college at thirteen years old. Aloy had insisted on staying with her age group. Looking over everything her mother had done in the three years between enrolling in college and Aloy’s current age, she felt like a failure. She, too, could have just graduated from college, if she’d wanted to. If she’d felt drawn to something higher, as her mother had.

A chill gusted around her and she bundled tighter in her thick goose down blanket. She could see her breath as she flipped through the album, past her mother accepting awards, past pictures of her career progression, pictures of her pregnant, pictures of her in the hospital holding Avad, holding Aloy, holding Erend with a flower necklace around her throat - garnet beads with a nine-petal citrine flower attached to the garnet center with small metal numbs at the end of the petals and where they met the garnet, the flower hooked to the garnet bead with a diamond-encrusted gold clasp. Holidays and school functions, few family photos, almost none with Teersa, some with Lansra. Aloy paused and turned back to when her mother last really smiled in a picture - shortly after accepting her first position at Faro Automated Solutions - then forward again until she found that smile again. She watched her mother’s smile fade with the years, watched her draw in on herself until the pictures of Rost started. After that she blossomed, her chin raised, the defiant fire that had driven her in her younger years rekindled hotter than ever. Aloy reached out to touch a picture of her mother and Rost in bed. Rost was sleeping on his side, his face tucked into the hollow of her mother’s neck, one thick arm over Elisabet’s chest as she lay on her back. She was grinning into the camera with one finger pressed against her lips, her hair messy in ways that Aloy was just recently familiar with. The picture next to it was of her sprawled across the bed on her stomach with the covers tangled at her waist. Her face was turned toward the camera, a smile on her sleeping lips as Rost’s hand brushed her hair behind her ear. There were candid pictures of them surprising each other during various activities and states of dress, of them chasing Aloy and her brothers around, holding each other and smiling, always smiling. Aloy didn’t realize she was crying until the pictures stopped. There was no trickle off. There was no warning. One page was full of a happy, loving family, and the next page held … nothing.

Aloy closed the album with a snap and looked up at the ceiling as she fought back tears. She took gasping breaths, held them as long as she could, then gasped more. After a while she sniffed and shook her head before setting the album aside and looking back in the chest.

The Banuk figures were tied together to keep from getting lost. Some of them still had stickers on them - Aloy remembered wanting to make them pretty, so she’d used superhero stickers. Her mother had just covered her face as Rost had laughed and told her that the machines preferred to sit with her superhero figures, not have the stickers on them. He’d helped her take some of the stickers off of them. She brushed her fingers over their painted wooden bodies before hugging them to her chest and wiping her eyes. She didn’t look into the chest again - she’d found what she was looking for. She placed the album and wedding attire back in it gently, then closed it and pressed a kiss to the top before picking up the figures and turning, inching over to the edge of the ladder back into the house.

 _“Rah!”_ Erend had grabbed her ankles and pulled a bit, and Aloy yelled and kicked at him, calling him several bad names. He just laughed and held his arms up. “Come on, I’ll help you down. You breaking up with Nil? He hasn’t been around lately.”

Aloy leaned over and he put his hands around her waist, easily lifting her down to the ground, then patting her head. She pushed at his hands. “We’re not dating. I don’t know where he’s been, and I don’t really care that much. I think he’s mad at me.”

“Why?”

She opened her mouth to tell him that she’d called the police at the bandit camp, then shut it with a shrug. “I don’t know. He gets pissy sometimes.”

“Hmm. Have you tried sucking his dick?”

 _“Erend!”_ She punched his arm.

“What?” he asked, all sparkling innocence as he rubbed the spot she’d hit. “Damn, you pack a wallop. Try it - he’ll be less pissy.”

“You’re disgusting. That’s none of your business.”

He scoffed. “What _else_ are you two doing when he stays over? You’re always a lot calmer after he leaves. I mean, I can’t _hear_ you - and thank you for that, I appreciate it - but really. It’s _kind_ of obvious. Does Rost know? What about Petra and Vanasha?”

Aloy just glared at him. “That’s none of your business. And why is this _hypothetical_ situation not freaking you out? You were plenty upset when Petra and Vanasha helped with the brakes.”

“One,” and he raised a finger as they followed the smell of cookies and hot cocoa to the kitchen, “I was jealous. I wanna bang them like you wouldn’t believe. Two,” and he raised a second finger, “I’m not into guys. Three, I _really_ wanna bang your girlfriends.”

He got a snort. “We’re not dating.”

“Right. Just like Avad and Ersa aren’t dating.”

Kind of exactly like that, actually. Aloy shrugged. “I don’t care what you think. Don’t put that in there.” She grabbed the whiskey away from him. “Come on, you’re fifteen.”

He grabbed at it, but she backed up. “So? Give it back. Rost doesn’t care.”

“Rost cares. He just doesn’t know how to make you stop. Why do you drink so much, anyway?”

Erend turned away from her and started pouring the cocoa. “Whatever, bitch,” he muttered.

Aloy opened the kitchen window. “Rost! Erend called me a bitch and meant it!”

“Hey! I did not!”

“He’s lying! _And_ he has whiskey!”

In the front yard, Rost sighed as he cleared snow from the driveway. “Erend, get your snack and get back out here. Aloy, beat the crap out of him, next time.” She let out a victorious hoot and turned to hit Erend. _“I didn’t mean it, girl._ Don’t hit your brother.”

“But he called me a bitch!”

She got an exasperated look. “Then call him one back.”

“Do you mean it? Can I?”

He shrugged in his heavy fur jacket. “I don’t see why not. You call him a jerk all the time - the words may be different, but the emotion behind them is the same.”

“You’re a bitch, Erend,” Aloy told him.

“Cocksucker.”

“Fuckhead.”

“Whore.”

“At least I _have_ a job.” He didn’t have an answer to that, so he took his cocoa and cookies and stomped out of the kitchen as Aloy laughed at him. Avad and Ersa poked their heads around the door to make sure the battle was over, and Aloy clapped. “Wonderful speech! I couldn’t hear it, but I felt it.” She patted her stomach. “In my gut.”

He chuckled as Ersa sat at the table and watched his rear as he got them both cocoa and cookies. “Thank you. I appreciate your gut, as always.”

“My gut says you’re welcome. I’d vote for you if I were old enough.”

“I would accept your vote if you were old enough.”

Aloy leaned against the counter after closing the window. “You can decline votes?”

“No, but you _can_ manufacture them - which is something I’ll be working on curtailing.”

“Maybe you ought to aim a bit lower for now,” Ersa told him. “At least until you’re _not_ a junior councilmember.”

“You have to start somewhere.” He turned and handed her a mug of cocoa and a plate of cookies, leaning down a bit more than he had to to set them on the table. Ersa kissed his cheek, and he smiled.

“You two are disgusting. I’m going to go help Rost.” Aloy grabbed her own mug and cookies before sailing out the front door. “Ah! Shoes! Shoes!” She ran back in and shuffled her bare feet over the plush carpet of their living room floor, then finished her cocoa and cookies before heading up to her room to put socks on. Nil was curled up in her bed, blankets piled high, and she threw her goose down blanket over him before sitting to pull her socks on. He shifted a little and yawned. It either meant he wasn’t mad at her anymore, or he was there to kill her. She ran back downstairs and slipped her boots on, hurried outside and gathered up a handful of snow, then ran up behind Erend and shoved it down the back of his shirt before he could react.

_“Hey! You fucker!”_

“Children!”

She danced away and picked up a shovel, brandishing it at Erend. “Stay away! Don’t you come near me!”

_“Children!”_

She ducked a snowball and deflected the next one with the shovel. “You’re a two-bit whore!” Erend yelled. Rost made a grab for him but he dodged it and picked up his own shovel, running at Aloy with a yell.

“At least I’m not a drunk!”

She yelled it right before they clashed, Erend going high and she herself going low, sliding into the downswing of his shovel and blocking it with the handle of her own, the metals scoop inches from her face. They snarled at each other as he tried to force it lower. Aloy twisted and pushed herself along the ice, slipping between his legs and scrabbling up to bring her own shovel around and down across his back. He fell to his knees with a grunt, and on her next swing, turned and grabbed the shovel. Rost yelled again. Erend’s yank brought Aloy close. His fist was ready and cracked across her cheek. She reeled back before catching his shoulders and pulling herself back to him, bringing her knee up into his crotch. Him grabbing a fistful of her hair didn’t stop her from headbutting him and pushing him to the ground, where she proceeded to punch him as quickly and as hard as possible before Rost was pulling her off of him and holding her nearly off the ground. Erend was kicking out before he, too, was lifted, and the two dangled and glared at each other. They were panting, then Erend spit at Aloy and she screeched, grabbing Rost’s forearm to give herself enough leverage to kick Erend in the face.

 _“Enough!”_ They were both thrown in different directions, landing in deep snowbanks. When they both popped up again, only their heads were visible. Rost stood between them as they tried to get out of the banks, judging how quickly they could be at each other’s throats again. “Avad!”

“Hey, I’m a wimp,” he called back. “I can’t stop that fight.”

Their brother got a harsh glare before Rost grabbed Aloy by the waist as she tried to dart past him. He swung her around and threw her back into the snow. The air was knocked out of her for a moment. She caught her breath in time to squeak and roll to the side to keep Erend’s body from falling on top of her, then Rost had his shovel at their throats, freezing cold tip pressing slightly into their skin. They froze, eyes wide.

“I _said,”_ he growled, _**“enough.**_ Is that clear?”

They were both nodding. “Yes, sir,” Erend choked out.

“Very clear, sir,” Aloy seconded.

He glared at them a moment longer, face flushed from the cold, exertion, and possibly actual anger, before giving a sharp nod and straightening. “Good. Get up and get to work.”

They were freezing cold and covered in sweat and melting snow, but neither Aloy nor Erend dared to ask if they could change or warm up. They stood and meekly took the shovels that were thrust at them, eyes firmly on the ground as they were prodded into clearing the snow. They didn’t complain when he had them cleaning out the shed, next, nor when he snapped and pointed to the kitchen. It was cleaned and they set the table as dinner cooked, then took hot tea out to Rost, Avad, and Ersa in the living room. Rost’s feet were up on the footrest of his wingback recliner. He watched them with a dark gaze as they served the three. They did it all in silence, nursing their bruised egos but not daring to do more than glance at each other in order to coordinate their work. They sat in the living room in silence when Rost decided it was time to eat, and stayed where they were when he lit the fire in the fireplace and sat there, reading a book. Occasionally one stomach or the other would growl and his eyebrow would twitch up, but they still neither said nor did anything until he finally looked up with one final glare before jerking his chin toward the kitchen. It was past midnight.

“Go.”

“Yes, sir!” the two chorused, almost knocking their chairs over in their haste to get to their cold dinners. They gave each other dirty looks as they ate the meager meal that Rost had left for them, but didn’t say anything else. Their individual showers were short, then they tiptoed up the stairs to their rooms. Nil was gone - Aloy guessed he’d just wanted a warm nap, but checked her closet and under her bed just in case before stripping down and crawling beneath the covers. They smelled like him - a little like sweat, a little like cinnamon, and maybe a little like blood. She snuggled down and took a deep breath of his scent before closing her eyes and drifting off to sleep.

*

There were soft lips drifting over her face at lunch, sympathetic in their kisses. Aloy had been partially at fault for the fight, but she’d been milking the sympathy for all it was worth all week and they were letting her get away with it, well aware of what she was doing. The three of them were bundled up in the back of Petra’s hatchback wagon, under a few thick blankets in the parking lot of the school. She and Vanasha had been both impressed and concerned with Aloy’s black eye and swollen lip, not to mention her slight limp, but Erend’s bruises and limp were worse. Vanasha’s lips drifted close to hers and Aloy turned her head, pressing against them. Both women’s hands that were resting over her stomach tightened as Vanasha sighed with pleasure and returned the kiss. Aloy moved her right hand out of the blankets and rested it at the back of Vanasha’s neck before turning to Petra and tilting her head up with half-open lips and eyes. The kiss was given gladly, and Aloy found that she liked having Petra’s tongue sliding over hers a lot more than she did Nil’s. She turned back to Vanasha for the same kiss, and liked that better, too. Her soft noise of pleasure was echoed by the two. Their legs tangled together. Aloy wanted them to touch her. Her arousal with Petra and Vanasha was different than with Nil - she didn’t _want_ Nil the way she wanted Petra and Vanasha. He was a means to an end; a different sort of vibrator. She would have felt bad at the thought, except that he’d been the one to gleefully describe himself that way before. She used him to get off and he was ok with that, didn’t want anything else from their romps. With Petra and Vanasha - Petra now kissing her neck while Vanasha kept her mouth occupied - Aloy wanted more. They made her laugh, warmed her both physically and emotionally. She enjoyed talking with them, even when their views diverged. They listened to her talk about her classes and remembered small details even if they didn’t understand them.

“The bell sounded five minutes ago,” Petra whispered finally.

“I’m excused from gym,” she whispered back.

“We aren’t, unfortunately,” Vanasha pointed out. She brushed Aloy’s hair out of her face with a smile. “Shall we have that talk about Nil, Red?” At Aloy’s deer-in-the-headlight look, she kissed the tip of her nose. “Maybe later. When you’re ready.”

They parted ways at the car, Petra and Vanasha hurrying to their classes and Aloy to the library, shivering even in her thick fur coat. There were advertisements for the Symposium all over the place, and she made a face at them. She _wanted_ to go - she wanted to meet the representatives from Miriam Technologies. She wanted to see if that would be a good fit for her, or if she just needed to run off and live in the wilderness with her bow and the machines that still worked tirelessly to clean up the planet. She was pretty sure she could get Petra and Vanasha to come with her. Aloy sat at a desk and pulled her her designs for a new type of machine that would take contaminated soil and not just clean it, but seed and fertilize it as well, up on her Focus. Several other students were also at different desks, hands waving in front of them as their worked on their own Focuses, or hunched over actual computers. It wasn’t until she’d looked up at the sixth person staring at her before she realized that her mother’s picture was also being displayed in the rotating ads. Her heart clenched and she looked down again. Of course Elisabet would be used to advertise Miriam Technologies’ attendance. She’d founded it, after all. Aloy got tired of the stares after a while and flicked her Focus off as she stood. She got halfway through her last class before _those_ stares got to be too much, too, and left early. She didn’t care if the teacher reported it. She didn’t want Ted to have found her. She didn’t want him to have cornered her about it. She didn’t want to have lashed out about not going. She got home and locked herself in her room, staring moodily at the clock as it ticked ever on towards when the Symposium would start. She’d miss talks she didn’t want to miss. She’d miss meeting people she wanted to meet.

 _“Fuck!”_ she finally screamed at half-past nine, punching her wall and running downstairs to the shower after sending a hasty RSVP to the digital invitation she’d been ignoring. She didn’t have a damn nice thing to wear. Someone was knocking on the door as she shut the shower off, and she wrapped her towel around herself and opened it without thinking.

The Eclipse member that stood there, black car running with the passenger door open, was completely unfazed. He held up a thin box. “Your outfit, Miz Sobeck. You can change in the car.”

“I’m in a towel!” she protested when he turned to bow her out of the house.

“Then run.”

She aimed a kick at him that missed, then hurried to her room to pull on underwear and her pajamas. There were two women in the back of the car who gestured for her to disrobe. The dress they pulled out of the box was emerald green silk. When she pulled it on, it was barely off her shoulders with a cowl neck, and judging from the way it fit around her hips and flared out, had a mermaid tail. It fit amazingly well. It was also identical to the one her mother had favored when going to formal events. The women went to work on her makeup and hair, possibly with slight frowns at her bruises. They were covered up with ease, though, and her hair was brushed and twisted into a simple French twist with a few strands loose and framing her face. It and the dress hadn’t been in fashion for years. When they pulled up to the Faro Automated Solutions building and her door was opened, Aloy’s picture went up on the screens showing guests as they arrived - and _everyone_ still outside stopped to turn and stare. Aloy stared, too. Looking up at herself, she felt like she was looking at her mother. She took a slight step back, ready to run, and the look on the woman’s face on the screens was vulnerable and a little afraid.

“Ah, Miz Sobeck, you made it.” General Cho walked up and offered her his arm with a smile. “Thank you so much. I appreciate it. You looks exactly like your mother, my dear - is this her usual gown?”

Aloy was trying not to stare at herself. She let the general lead her down the red carpet and through the front doors, where the light from the crystal, Titan-shaped chandelier nearly blinded her. “I don’t know.”

“Lis?”

She turned at the startled tenor, meeting Helis’ eyes as they looked her over in surprise. He was in a fitted suit that showed off his physique, all broad shoulders and narrow hips, loose enough to cover the outlines of his muscles but tight enough to let everyone know they were there. He walked up and held his hand outs, taking hers in them, disbelief written all over him. Then he blinked and shook his head.

“My apologies. I’m - You look exactly like your mother, Miz Sobeck.” He bowed over her hands and Aloy’s every instinct screamed at her to run. “I knew your mother very well.” Then he straightened and let her go. “Ah, but where are my manners? I’m ---”

“Helis. I know.”

He blinked once before taking it all in stride. “Indeed. I’m flattered that you know who I am.”

Aloy watched him carefully. “Yeah, the lawsuits have been pretty prominent.”

He waved it off. “Eclipse has strayed from its due course, Miz Sobeck - I’m doing what I can to correct that. May I?” He held his arm out to her, and Aloy remembered that there were guests behind them. General Cho was handing her off, and she had no polite choice but to take the offered arm and turn to the stairs and the sea of people who were watching them. “Thank you. I’m glad that you changed your mind. Your uncle is … well. Excitable.”

The way he was patting her hand as it rested on his arm, almost stroking it, made Aloy uneasy. She cleared her throat. “I’m not here for either of you. I’m here for me.”

She got a winning smile. His eyes didn’t warm with it. “I understand completely. But we’re all glad that you’re here, Miz Sobeck - unless I may call you Aloy? I haven’t seen you in years.”

That made her almost trip. His steady grip on her kept her upright. She looked at him with wide eyes. “You know me?”

She was being led slowly through the crowd, as if she were on display. “Oh, not since you were very young. Lis and I … didn’t part on good terms.” He shook his head again. “But it is what it is. I was deeply wounded by her loss.”

“If you were friends, is that why you’ve been paying my hospital bills?” Aloy didn’t like being so close to him, but he’d known her mother.

She got a slow nod. “Of course. My employees were there at the gang fight, fortunately, and I couldn’t leave the situation be. I do apologize for the ride to school. My people are extremely loyal to me - often to the embarrassment of the people I ask them to assist when needed.”

“So I don’t owe you for the car door, then?”

Helis laughed, and it grated like teeth on bone. “I’ll let it slide this once. You have your mother’s sense of humor.” They’d gotten to the edge of the dance floor and he turned, looking down at her with an almost possessive smile. “I should like a dance later, if you don’t mind. In the meantime, I’ll let you mingle - unless you would like an escort?”

Aloy had caught sight of a woman in a wheelchair and headscarf, though, and pulled away from Helis. “No, thank you, I just …”

His grip on her tightened for a split second before he let her go. “Of course. I should like to tell you more about Lis later, if you’d like.”

Aloy looked over her shoulder as she escaped, nodding. “Oh, yeah, thanks. Please. Thanks.” The she pulled up just behind the woman, with her heart in her throat and butterflies in her stomach, an ache in her chest that made her want to run away. Her throat was too dry to talk. She couldn’t do it. She started to back away when one of the people around the woman looked up and their eyes widened.

The woman turned her head and then her wheelchair, her pained eyes likewise going wide as she took in Aloy’s presence. “Oh …”

It had been a mistake. Aloy shook her head and started to back away. It hurt too much. “I’m, I’m sorry,” she stammered. “I’m sorry …”

Instead of turning from her, the woman reached out her hand with a warm smile. “Aloy … child … I would know you anywhere.”

“Miz Ebadji ---”

She waved her medical assistant off. “I am glad to see you, child. It has been _so_ long.”

Aloy knelt and took her frail hands - she’d escaped the explosion that had taken Elisabet, but not unharmed. “Samina … I …”

“Ten years, right?” a tall blond man asked, Australian accent thick.

Aloy looked around at the Alphas and then lowered her head. “I’m sorry,” she whispered again.

Travis laughed, and it was bittersweet. “It’s fine, Aloy. We understand. We’re glad to see you. It was better that we didn’t contact you until you were ready.” The other eight Alphas nodded in agreement. “You, uh … came in with Helis, then.”

She looked up and then behind her, where Helis had just turned his gaze away. “I didn’t mean to. I … Ted …”

“Harassed you into coming, no doubt,” Charles Ronson finished. “Fucking asshole.”

Aloy snorted, and it helped her swallow her tears. These nine people had been her mother’s closest companions, aside from her children and husband. Aloy had had a meltdown at six, when they had tried to visit. She hadn’t seen them since. “Well, I’m certainly not looking to get a job with him. How … how have you all been?” They were fine, of course. Everyone was fine. Everyone was always fine, even when they weren’t.

They caught up a little before Travis downed the rest of his beer and set it on a potted plant. “Fuck it. Let’s dance. You up for it, Aloy?”

She sighed. “Well, I missed all the talks I wanted to hear, so I might as well.”

Charles and Tom Paech joined them on the dance floor, and Travis’ touch was warmer and more gentle than Helis’. “Did he say what he wanted? Helis, I mean?”

She shook her head as he twirled her around. “He said he’d tell me more about Mother later. I don’t like him.”

“You shouldn’t. He worked for Ted when …”

“I see.” Aloy looked down, then up. “I … Is Miriam hiring?”

She got a winning grin, handsome despite the scars crisscrossing his face. “Aloy, we would _make_ a job for you, if you wanted to work with us.”

“What about the oversight board?”

He rolled his eyes. “Fighting over ownership doesn’t mean we’re not still operating. It’s just … slower. Honestly, _you_ should get the company, not that fucker - uh, sorry.”

“I’ve heard worse,” she told him dryly. “I’ve _said_ worse.”

He laughed at that, then handed her off to Charles and paired up with Tom. “I heard your mother swear once,” he told her, a broad smile on his dark face. “Once. Travis had snuck in some actual porn. She wasn’t happy.”

“Well, there’s another way I’m failing her.”

He shook his head. “No, it’s nothing like that, Aloy. As much as you’re like your mother, you _aren’t_ her, and no one should be expecting you to be identical to her. Not you, not us, not anyone.”

Aloy thought about it, then shrugged. “So, my dream of living with the machines in the wild is still a valid one?”

He threw his head back and laughed. “Only if you take us with you.”

“Of course.” She was smiling, now, and raised her eyebrows in surprise when she caught sight of familiar blue tubes. “Professor Sylens!”

Charles let her go and she hurried up to the man. He turned and smiled as he nodded to her. “Aloy. How good of you to come. I heard about your … incident … and was concerned you would let that cloud your better judgement.” Aloy opened her mouth to reply, then saw Ted on the other side of her professor, and pursed her lips with a scowl. Sylense looked over at the man. He was looking everywhere _but_ at Aloy. “I believe that it’s been impressed upon Mr. Faro that your attendance tonight hinges on you two not interacting. How are you enjoying yourself?”

“Well, I _did_ miss all the talks.”

He smiled slightly. “I believe the speakers could be persuaded to give them again - you _are_ the daughter of Elisabet Sobeck, after all. They’ll do a lot if they think it will get them better odds of acquiring your talents.”

“Well, I’m not for sale.” Rost was going to kill her for coming without Avad or Erend. “But I _would_ like to hear what they had to say.”

“This way, then. Ted.” He nodded to the man and gestured for Aloy to come with him. The next hour was filled with meeting new people and talking with them. It was fascinating to learn about where robotics and engineering were going, and Aloy felt brave enough to show some of them her new machine design. She wasn’t afraid that they would take it - she’d already patented it, thanks to Avad pressuring her to retain ownership of all her ideas. She was more nervous about her lack of experience, but it was well-received, she thought. There was dancing to be done, as well, and she politely declined all offers of alcohol - she’d never touched it, and had no intention of starting in a room full of strangers, strangers who could decide her future.

“Are you having fun?” She’d been spun into Helis’ arms. They were almost as thick as her waist. Travis started toward them and Aloy shook her head at him. He backed off with narrow eyes. “Your friends are very protective of you.”

“They’re …” Friends? She didn’t know. “... good people,” she finished. His hand around her waist was a bit too firm. He held her hand a bit too tightly. Aloy had a hard time meeting his gaze. “How did you know my mother?”

Helis smiled and twirled her around. It made her head spin. “We were … very close. We met when she worked for Ted. She was one of the most intelligent, capable people I’ve ever met. She loved you all dearly.”

“What was she like?”

“Aside from all that? She was very driven, in everything she did. Very independent.” Aloy wasn’t sure if that had been a compliment or not. “When she decided to do something, she did it, and heaven help anyone who got in her way. I hear you’re quite like her, in that regard.”

“I’m hearing that a lot.”

Helis chuckled. It reverberated through his broad chest and sounded out of place coming from his lips. “I’ve no doubt. You look thirsty. Would you like some air? There is … something I would like to give you. Of Elisabet’s. She often spoke of giving it to you. I’m sure you’re also curious about what she’d been working on.” He smiled when her eyebrows flew up. “Of course you are. I have … access … to some of that information. I can share it with you, if you’d like.”

Aloy hummed a little. “I was under the impression that her project was top-secret.”

He was twirling her toward the back of the dance floor. “I’m allowed a certain amount of leeway as to who I reveal what to. It’s nothing classified, in any case. Are you interested? From what you’ve shown the others, I think you would find it fascinating.” Aloy hesitated at the foot of a stairway towards the private offices of the building. She didn’t want to be alone with the man. She wanted to know more about her mother and the project that had cost her her life. She wanted to know what her mother had wanted her to have.

She nodded. “Alright. I’d like that, thank you.”

“Good.” It was said with a sharpness that had Aloy regretting her decision as he took her by her upper arm and propelled her up the stairs. Then again, he was a man who was used to giving orders, so that was probably it. “We’ve been trying to recreate the project,” he said as he walked. Aloy, between the train of her dress and her shorter stride, was finding it difficult to keep up even with him pulling her along. “She was doing wonderful work - life-saving work - and it pains us to have it wasting away because we no longer have access to it.” She was thankful when he showed her into an elevator. Then he undid his suit jacket and raised an eyebrow at her. “If you don’t mind, I’ll take this off. I detest suits.”

He seemed more like a human-skin-suit man, Aloy thought. He was already halfway out of the jacket. His bulk was clearly defined beneath his crisp white shirt. She nodded and didn’t look at him. “She said once that she hoped we’d never have to use it.”

“True, but we do hope to at least have it as a backup, if needed.” The floor counter was ticking steadily up. They were almost to the top of the building. Helis had taken his black tie off and loosened the collar of his shirt. “We would love your input.”

“Who’s this ‘we’ you’re talking about?”

The elevator dinged and once again his hand was warm on her bare arm as he brought her out of the elevator. Aloy wanted to tell him that she could walk on her own, thank you very much, but she didn’t exactly know where they were headed - other than Ted’s private office. Helis didn’t answer as he booted up a computer, then turned to a sleek black wall and waved his hand. The circular orange Focus he wore glimmered in the reflection in the window glass as Aloy looked out of it and down at the city below. She watched him pull out some tumblers and a decanter of what she assumed was thick yellow alcohol, eyes drawn to the way his muscles moved beneath his shirt. He could easily kill her, if that was what he’d brought her up here to do. She looked back at the city until she felt him step up behind her and his hands came down to slip something around her neck. She jumped a little.

“What ---”

“Shh, it’s fine,” he murmured as he fastened the necklace for her, fingers brushing across the back of her neck. She shuddered a little as her hair raised on end. “There. You look perfect.”

Aloy raised her fingers to touch the nine-petaled citrine flower, feel the garnet beads. It was almost unnaturally warm to the touch. “I … I know this necklace. I saw it in a picture.”

His large hands were resting on her shoulders, heavy and warm. “Elisabet wasn’t one for jewelry, but this was her favorite piece. It suits you.”

His thumbs were moving in the faintest of circles and Aloy spun around, heart pounding as she pressed her back against the glass and tensed. “I’m sixteen,” she blurted.

Helis raised an eyebrow. “I’m aware.”

She looked him up and down, then looked at the alcohol on the table beside them. “I’m sixteen,” she repeated. She didn’t want to flat-out accuse him of trying to seduce her, but she wanted him to stop.

He got the point, laughed, and stepped back with a bow. “My apologies, Aloy. I meant nothing improper. Your mother …” He trailed off, then shook his head. “Well. You are not your mother, I am _far_ above your legal limit, and I’ve no sexual interest in you in any case. Again, my apologies for making you uncomfortable. Mango juice?” Aloy blinked at him. He gestured to the decanter. “It’s mango juice, Aloy. I detest alcohol.”

“... Oh. Ok. Yes, please.” He gestured to a chair and gave her a wide berth, pouring her a glass once she’d sat. It was cold and delicious. Aloy looked around. “So … what was Mother working on?”

He took a long drink, then set his glass down with a nod. “We’re not quite sure. The explosion destroyed almost the entire facility, and the area is too unstable to send in a team to try to retrieve it. Aso, it’s locked, and we haven’t been able to override it. It was called the Zero Dawn project, that much we know. Did she ever talk about it?”

Aloy couldn’t stop toying with the necklace. She shook her head. “No. Not that I remember. Avad - my brother - might, though.”

The corner of Helis’ eyes might have tightened a bit. “I see. There were several components of it - your friends worked on it, as you know, but they’re reluctant to assist. The legal fight over Miriam Technologies isn’t helping.”

“They said that _I_ should be head of the company.”

That got a sigh as he leaned forward. “Yes and no. It needed to be held in trust until you were of age, yes, but the question became _who,_ exactly, would be entrusted with it. We - your uncle and I - feel that he would be the best suited to manage the company in your absence, but the Alphas … feel differently.”

“Why not _them?”_ Aloy wanted to know. “They worked with Mother the most.”

Helis’ shrug was elegant. “I am not a lawyer, Aloy, unfortunately. Perhaps you would agree to tour the Faro facilities one day - without your uncle, of course. I know the other scientists would like your input as to what we’ve patched together of the Zero Dawn project.”

He made it sound like she was already a scientist in her own right, equal to the ones her uncle employed. Aloy’s cheeks flushed a little. “I don’t know. I’m not supposed to be near Ted. And I don’t really want to work for him.”

“But you’ll be able to make that decision on your own in a little over a year,” he pointed out. “I understand why you dislike your uncle, Aloy - I do. And I do not blame you for it. But I would ask that you try not to let his actions in the past dictate your view of him in the future.” Then he huffed a bit with laughter and sat back. “But look at me, now, acting like a recruiter. I’m not asking you to work for him, Aloy. We would just appreciate your assistance in not letting your mother’s legacy die with her.” His words hit Aloy hard, but before she could react, his expression darkened and he snarled a bit before smoothing it out. “Well. It seems you have been missed. Come along, then.” She took his hand when he stood and he was quiet during the elevator ride back down to the reception, where Avad and Varl were arguing with Eclipse members.

“Oh, _shit,”_ Aloy muttered.

“Indeed.”

Avad turned and the fury that overtook his face was like nothing Aloy had ever seen from him. She raised a hand to placate him as he stalked towards her. “Avad, I’m fine, ok? I’m sor---”

He let his fist fly and Aloy stiffened in surprise as it whizzed past her face, hitting Helis’ palm with a resonating smack. She could hear the crunch of bones as Helis tightened his grip, and though Avad’s eyes tightened with the pain and he grunted a little, he didn’t let up the pressure. Aloy stepped back and pulled on his arm.

“Avad! What are you doing?”

“That’s a very good question, boy,” Helis growled. “What _are_ you doing?”

“You stay away from my sister. From all of us.” Aloy looked around for help. Varl stepped up and put his hand on Avad’s shoulder, but it was shrugged off.

“I believe I’ve just been assaulted. Aren’t you running for a city council position?” It was an icy threat, and Aloy tugged at Avad’s free arm again. “You wouldn’t want to let this ruin your career before it starts, would you, boy?”

“I don’t know _what’s_ going on,” Aloy snapped, “but it needs to stop. Avad, let’s go. Please?”

“Leave it,” Varl murmured. “Avad, just leave it.”

“If you come near Aloy again,” Avad growled, “I’ll ---”

 _“Avad.”_ That was Travis, coming up and taking the fist that Helis held. “Don’t give him the opportunity.” He wasn’t looking at Helis. “Come on - take Aloy home.”

“I’m not a child, and I can hear just fine,” she snapped.

“Come on, Avad,” Varl said as he squeezed his friend’s shoulder. “You don’t want to do this.”

“Oh, I think he does,” Helis said with a curl of his upper lip. “I really think he does.”

Aloy wedged herself between the two and pushed on their chests. _“Stop it._ Avad, let’s go. Helis …” She didn’t quite know _what_ to say to him, but he took a step back and let Avad’s fist go, then bowed to her with a pleasant smile.

“My apologies, Aloy. Please, enjoy the rest of your night.”

Avad shook with anger as Helis walked up the stairs without looking back - a clear sign that he didn’t see Avad as any sort of threat. Then her brother whirled around and pointed to the door. “Go.” Aloy glared at him and he coughed, then straightened and made a less demanding gesture. “If you’re ready, please, let’s go home.”

She didn’t have much of a choice. She was a minor, out past curfew without permission. Aloy glared at him and took her time saying goodbye to Samina and the others, giving and getting hugs from them all, promising to keep in touch. Once in Varl’s car, she turned to Avad with a glare. “What was _that_ about?”

“You weren’t supposed to go without us.”

“Yeah, well, it was a last-minute decision.”

“Don’t ever talk to that man again.”

 _“Why?”_ Aloy exclaimed. _“Why?_ You keep telling me what to do, who to talk, what _not_ to do and who _not_ to talk to, but you don’t ever tell me _why._ Why not? He knew Mother ---”

“He _hit_ Mother,” Avad snapped. Aloy sat back with a blink. “Ok? He hit her. Everything he says is a lie. Where did you get that necklace?”

“What?” She put her hand over it protectively. “He gave it to me. You can’t have it.” Avad clenched his fists - his left one already bruising - but didn’t say a word. Aloy had a few more choice words for him, but he refused to talk and Ersa was waiting for them when they got home.

“Oh, sweetie …” She hugged him close and looked Aloy over. “Are you alright?”

Aloy threw her hands out. “I’m completely in the dark, here, but yeah, I’m just great. I’m going to bed. Avad, I hate you again.”

“Aloy ---”

She ignored Varl and stomped upstairs, then stared at herself in her mirror for a long time before slowly taking the dress off, hanging it in her closet, and staring at the ceiling for the rest of the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *casually sails past the 50,000-word mark with 3 days to spare like a motherfucking _boss_ *


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's a school dance. There's some f/f/f smut. Avad and Ersa are adorable.

Aloy stared at Rost in indignant shock. “What do you _mean?”_

“I meant exactly what I said, Aloy. You’re not going to the dance. You’re not going _anywhere._ You’ll take your classes here.”

“That’s - You can’t do that!”

He crossed his arms over his broad chest and glared down at her. “I can, and I am. I’m your guardian. You were out past curfew without permission - which alone would entitle me to ground you - _and you went to the Symposium without Avad or Varl._ You spoke with Helis - _against my orders._ This is the consequence of your actions.”

She threw her hands up. “Because no one will tell me what’s going on! And he knew Mother! He gave me ---” She grabbed the flower pendant beneath her turtleneck and drew in on herself when he reached for it. “No! It’s mine!”

“Aloy ---”

She shook her head. “It was Mother’s. Right? I saw it in the photo album. Why shouldn’t I have it? Why did _he_ have it?”

Rost’s face twisted, but with pain or anger, she didn’t know. “Because he’s a psychopath.”

Aloy snorted. “And I’m supposed to believe that with no proof?”

“ … He leads Eclipse.”

She groaned. “You know what I mean. Yes, he’s creepy, but he never hurt me. He was telling me about what Mother was working on. He was _very_ polite.”

“And he will continue like that until he has what he wants, Aloy. You _are not to ever have contact with him again._ Do you understand?” She started talking and he waved it off, turning to pace back and forth in front of her. “Never mind. You obviously don’t.”

“No, I don’t, because all I’m hearing is ‘Don’t talk to Helis, Aloy,’ and _not_ ‘Don’t talk to Helis _because of these reasons.’_ I get not talking to Ted - I don’t _want_ to talk to him. But you’re not giving me a good reason to not talk to Helis in public areas.”

Her stepfather raised an eyebrow at her. “And you were in public with him last night? _All_ night?” Aloy flushed with anger and looked down. He snorted. “Don’t be a fool, Aloy. I need you to trust me, and stay away from him.”

“I want to go to the dance,” she muttered.

“I suppose you should have thought about that _before_ disobeying me.”

“This isn’t fair, Rost!” She was almost on the verge of tears, and she rarely cried. “Why won’t you tell me why you all hate Helis so much? I’ll be eighteen in less than a year and a half - you can’t keep me from talking to him for forever. Avad said he hit Mother - is that true?”

Rost nodded. “Yes. He assaulted your mother.”

Aloy’s fingers tightened around the flower pendant. _“Why?”_

Rost crouched in front of her and wiped at his face. “Because he is a cruel man who will do whatever it takes to get what he wants. He just hit her,” he said when he saw the look on Aloy’s face. “Which was bad enough.”

She sat there and held the pendant for dear life. “What … what did my father do?”

Rost growled. “He and your father are the same. There’s a reason they split.”

Aloy thought of her mother’s loving kindness. She shook her head. “Mother wouldn’t have married a monster.”

She got a dark look. “Monsters exist because they’re very good at blending in, Aloy. How much fun _did_ Nil have, killing those bandits?”

“Nil isn’t anything like Helis.” The defensiveness in her voice made Rost snort.

“He’d kill you if he thought he could get away with it.”

“I’d kill him, first.”

“Bah … I’m not going to argue with you anymore, Aloy. You’re not going to that dance, period. You’re not leaving this house until I say you can - and no one who isn’t authorized will be able to get in.”

She got up and stomped upstairs, slamming her door shut. He didn’t try to stop her. Aloy flopped back on her bed and flicked her Focus on, just to find the only things she could access were her educational materials. She shut it off and draped her arm over her eyes. She didn’t think she was particularly prone to theatrics. She hadn’t told Rost she hated him, or that she would run away - both of which had crossed her mind to do. She hadn’t yelled. Much. She hadn’t screamed, at least. She hadn’t thrown anything, just stomped around. She hadn’t cried.

She sighed and got up, leaning on her desk to look out her window. They said that one day the entire Denver area would be green again, and not just the city. Until then, Aloy’s eyes tracked the distinct line between where the city ended and the Great Desert began, spreading east across what used to be called the Great Plains. Before the Great Die-Off, it had been rolling fields of prairie, merging into an area that used to be called the breadbasket of the United States - an area that had apparently grown the bulk of the country’s corn at one point. The devastation of global warming and the Great Die-Off was on such a scale that she couldn’t fathom the area having _ever_ been full of life. Eventually she sat at her desk and brought up her homework. She had nothing better to do, anyway.

“Hey.” Aloy jumped awake and raised her head off of her desk. She could feel the marks from her book indented in her cheek. Ersa was kneeling next to her with a towel wrapped tightly around herself, and smiled. “Good morning, Sunshine.”

She blinked at the dark window. “It’s morning?”

That got another laugh. “No, but I thought I’d check on you before I went to bed. Avad’s already asleep - I just needed a shower. Let me tell you, if you have sex with someone who has a penis, make them wear a condom, because it is _not_ a comfortable feeling when that shit drips out of you.”

Aloy drew away from her and made a face even as she filed the information away for the future. “Ugh, gross. I don’t want to know that.”

“Yeah, neither did I, but then it happened the first time. Are you ok?”

Aloy pushed herself up and then fell face-down onto her bed with a groan. “No. I’m grounded.”

“Well … yeah.”

“I can’t go to the dance.”

“So Rost says.” Ersa turned her over and helped her get out of her clothes. “Look, we’ll talk with him. Avad and I can still get tickets --- _and if you really want to go,”_ she continued over Aloy’s garbled noise of anger, “Rost _may_ agree to it if Avad and I go with you. You’ll just have to suck it up, buttercup.” She tucked the covers under Aloy’s chin. “Ok?”

Aloy nodded. “Yeah. Thank you …”

Ersa kissed her forehead. “You’re welcome. Get some sleep.”

*

Two weeks later, the five of them stood in the living room and let Granny Teersa take pictures. Aloy was still mad at Avad, but she was thankful to be standing in her silk dress - her mother’s pendant the perfect final touch - between Petra and Vanasha. Petra had opted for a brown three-piece suit with a silk blouse beneath the vest that had a plunging neckline. Vanasha’s gown was royal purple silk with sheer brown silk draped over it and cinched around her waist with a wide bronze belt.

“Look at the camera, child, not your dates, beautiful though they are.” Aloy’s cheeks heated up as she tore her gaze away from the two women. They just smiled at her. Teersa looked up with her own smile. “Now one with just Aloy and Rost.”

“Teersa,” he started.

“No, I insist. I know you’re not on the best of terms right now, but some things are too important to not capture and commemorate.”

Aloy stood there, stiff, as Rost took Petra and Vanasha’s place. Teersa just watched them with a gentle smile until Aloy’s unseeing eyes refocused and she looked up at the man who had given so much to raise her. His own face was full of stoic emotion. She relented, finally, and held her hand up. Whatever was going on with Helis and Ted could wait. He took it in both of his and his smile mirrored hers.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered.

“I understand,” was his reply before he leaned down and kissed her forehead. “You look beautiful.”

“Just like Mother?”

“No,” he said as he drew back and ran a hand over the curls in her hair. “Just like _you.”_ Aloy’s eyes pricked with tears before she hugged him. “You’re still grounded, and leave your bow at home.”

That made her laugh. “Well, I figured I was still grounded, but not the bow?”

Rost just shook his head. “The defining touch of your outfit, yes, but not allowed on school grounds. Aloy ---” He looked over at Ersa, Petra, and Vanasha, and sighed as he walked them to the door. “We _will_ talk,” he promised her. “But …”

“Later.” Aloy nodded. “I’m ok with later.”

His smile was slight, but there, as he nodded. “Good. Have fun. Stay safe. Don’t go off with Nil. And …”

Aloy gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek. “I know,” she whispered. He nodded, and watched with Teersa from the porch as they got into the limo that Ersa had shown up in. “I don’t know how to dance with two people at once,” she said once they’d pulled into the street. “We should have practiced.”

Vanasha laughed and squeezed her arm. “It’s fine, Red. We usually just take turns when we’ve got a third partner.”

“Well, that makes sense.” Aloy looked out the window as they went, and caught Avad watching her reflection. She turned to look at him, and he looked down. His long vest and harem pants were white silk with gold embroidery with a red silk belt tied at his waist. Ersa’s loose pants, tight crop top, and leather vest were varying shades of rich reds and browns, covered in brass designs. “Thanks for convincing Rost to let me go to the dance, Ersa.”

“Sure, kid. I couldn’t let you sit home alone when Petra and Vanasha finally got you to date them.”

“We’re not dating,” was Aloy’s immediate response. It came out more forcefully than she’d meant it to. She coughed. “We … still need to discuss a few things. Who paid for the limo?” she asked quickly. “How much do I owe for my part?”

Vanasha pat her knee before squeezing it. “It’s our treat, Aloy. We never meant for you to pay.”

Aloy looked at the two and got her nose tweaked by Petra. She scrunched it. “... Thank you.”

“So, here’s the plan,” Ersa said as she clapped her hands and leaned forward. “Don’t leave the dance. If you want to sneak off and make out behind the bushes or in the bathroom or whatever, just _tell_ me, because if you disappear and Avad and I don’t know _exactly_ where you are, Rost _will_ flip his shit. So just … behave for tonight. Ok?”

Aloy wanted to snap that she wasn’t a child, but both technically _and_ legally, she was. She had also recently engaged in some startlingly ill-thought-out, impulsive behavior that could have landed herself, Avad, _and_ Rost in jail for delinquency, assault, and allowing delinquency. So she just nodded. “I understand.” She was still mad at Avad, though. “No getting fingered in the parking lot without your permission.”

“Augh, _Aloy!”_

She gave him a dirty look as the limo pulled up to the prom venue. It was an elegant 19th-century mansion with multicolored lights running along its eaves and shining down through the icicles that had formed on them. The snow banks along the sidewalk up to it and the paths leading to the front door and around the back had been artfully piled and sculpted into cresting waves and ocean life, with more snow sculptures of land and air animals on the lawn itself. She got a few stares as Petra got out and turned to help her, with Vanasha coming after - but they weren’t the only multi-partner group going, at least, and Aloy lifted her hand with a slight smile to catch the snow that was drifting down, only to have it fade out of holographic existence once it touched her.

“Who let _that_ savage come to the dance?” someone muttered as they walked to the end of the line to get in.

“Don’t say that,” someone else hushed them as Aloy turned her head. No one was meeting her gaze. She turned away. “She’s killed people. She’ll kill you, too.”

“Her mother was a genius, but her uncle’s crazy - _she’s_ probably crazy, too.”

“Don’t let it get to you,” Vanasha told her as she squeezed her arm. “They talk about _us,_ too.”

 _“You’ve_ never killed anyone,” Aloy pointed out.

She got a shrug and a pinch to her rear, then a grin. “Not yet, anyway. Maybe we should _all_ start hanging out with Nil.”

“Where’s he been lately, anyway?”

Aloy shrugged. “He was at my place right before the Symposium - he was sleeping in my bed. Probably just wanted a warm place to sleep. I haven’t seen him since. He’s not _always_ in my vicinity.”

“No,” Petra agreed. “Just when he thinks you’ll go kill people with him. How are you feeling about that, anyway?”

Aloy rubbed her arms - the snowfall may have been fake, but the cold wasn’t - and shook her head. “I don’t know. Both times, it was self-defense. And they deserved it, really. Even the gang fight - they were terrible people. And that little boy is home, now. It’s not something that I’d take up as a hobby, and I wish I hadn’t had to kill anyone. I’m not sure I’m _sorry_ about it, though. Rost made me go back to a therapist for it.”

“He wants what’s best for you.”

“I know. I just don’t see what good talking about it with a stranger is going to do.” They presented their tickets to be scanned and followed the line around back of the mansion, where tables with food had been set up. “The N’yong’os are paying for it, at least. They’re really nice.”

They sat, and were immediately served - the garden out back and dance hall on the third floor fit roughly about half of their class each, and new arrivals were fed first before being ushered off to mingle and dance and do whatever else it was that people did at dances. Maybe there would be a fight - something dramatic.

“Here, try this.” Aloy turned her head and opened her mouth, and Petra slid in a forkful of caramelized peaches and heavy, sweet cream. “Think they’ll give my Grammy the recipe for these?”

“My dad can probably get it for her,” Vanasha said. Petra’s parents had died when she was young, and she lived with her grandmother. “Or we’ll just have Aloy sashay around a bit and get it out of them. Have you _ever_ seen someone so beautiful? I like that it shows off your arms - lets people know you’re able to beat them down if you need to.”

“I like a woman with muscle,” Petra agreed.

They were both trailing their fingers along her shoulders and upper arms, and Aloy shivered as she ducked her head and laughed. “Ok, I’m trying to eat. I’m hungry. Stop it. You’re both weird.”

“Weird?” Petra scoffed. “For finding you attractive? Alright, I’ll accept that.”

“Guilty as charged,” Vanasha chimed in.

Dinner and dessert were both excellent, but the heavy beat of the music from upstairs pulled at Aloy. She finished her last bite and pushed her chair back with a grin. “I want to dance.” She stood as Petra and Vanasha both pushed themselves back, looked over her shoulder, and gave a little wiggle before slipping off through the crowd. She wasn’t trying to outrun them, and they caught up easily at the bottom of the stairs, taking her hands. They had to squeeze past other students single-file, clasped hands raised in the air, to get to the dance floor, and once there Aloy didn’t let their hands go. She had a decent sense of rhythm, but Petra and Vanasha clearly danced far more often than she did - they knew how to move around her and each other, how to twirl and sometimes dip without falling or stepping on anyone’s toes. Aloy liked the feeling of their hands on her hips and the sides of her legs as she was pressed between them and swaying her hips. She liked the feeling of the curve of Petra’s hip under one palm and the firmness of Vanasha’s shoulder under the other.

A slow song interrupted her fun, but even as Petra excused herself to get something to drink, Vanasha pulled her close. “Are you having fun?” she asked.

“I am, thank you,” Aloy said as she nodded. “I … I really appreciate you and Petra. For everything. You know, sticking with me. Putting up with me.”

Vanasha squeezed her hand and brought it to her lips to kiss it gently. “We care about you, Aloy. You’re going through a lot of stuff right now. We can’t just leave you to deal with it on your own.”

“Well, you _can_ \---”

“No, we _can’t._ And we _won’t.”_ Vanasha’s lips moved to brush over her forehead. “We’re not leaving you alone, Aloy.” The sudden aching clench in her heart made Aloy catch her breath. Vanasha kissed her forehead again. “You don’t have to want us around, but _we’re_ not leaving you. Ok?”

Aloy nodded rather than risk her voice breaking. She rested her forehead in the crook of Vanasha’s neck and enjoyed the feeling of their bodies pressed together. Petra came back in time for the next slow song, and a few songs later Aloy leaned against the window sill overlooking the street while her … lady … friends … danced together. The snow was actually coming down, now, no holograms needed. Across the street, two men were standing in front of a black car. Aloy had to look three times to confirm that it was Helis and Rost facing off - and her heart nearly stopped. Helis’ arms were crossed over his broad chest with a sneer and Rost’s fists were balled up. She spun around and pushed through the crowd. Rost had more self-control than Avad when it came to Helis - she hoped - but she had no idea why either of them would be there. The mansion was crowded with students and over heated. Aloy was trying to be polite as she squeezed past people on the stairs, but a few angry curses said that she’d ended up shoving them, anyway.

“Rost!” she called as she burst through the front door. “Rost!” Once out in the street, though, it was silent and empty, sounds muffled by the falling snow. “Rost?” There was no one in sight except for fresh tire tracks in the snow. Aloy’s breath was white as she whipped her head around. “Helis?”

“Aloy!” Avad came hurrying up to her and took her by the arms. “What are you doing out here?”

“Trying to get fingered,” she snapped automatically as she kept looking around. “I saw Rost. And Helis. They were right here - they looked like they were arguing.”

She was pulled into Avad’s warm embrace as he looked around, too. “Well, they’re gone. You’re going to freeze. Come back inside.”

She resisted a moment longer before letting him take her back inside and rub her down with a warm towel from one of the rooms the mansion rented. The bed was messed up, and there was an overnight bag in front of the dresser. Aloy sat on the bed and bundled up in the towel as she looked around. Then she smiled.

“Did you tell Ersa you’d only come to the dance if you could treat her fancy?”

He was kneeling in front of her and making sure the soles of her boots were dry, and laughed a little. “Well, not _exactly_ …” He was smiling. Aloy didn’t think he’d ever looked so happy, so … content. “I, uhm, I didn’t want to come. She said she’d let me treat her the way I want to if I did.”

“This shit gives you a _foot massage!”_ Ersa yelled from the bathroom as there was sudden splashing. “Baby, did you _see this?!”_

Aloy and Avad laughed. “I know,” he called back. “It was in the pamphlet I gave you last year.”

“Yeah, I burned that. Whoops. Let Aloy get back to her girlfriends - I need you in here.”

“Let me ---”

“No, _now._ You said you’d pamper me - so pamper me! Get the strawberries!”

There was a bowl of strawberries and some whipped cream sitting on the dresser. Aloy nodded to it. “You better get to work. I hope she pays you well.”

“I pay him in sex!” Avad started choking. “Lots of it!”

Aloy laughed again and stood up. “Alright, I’m leaving!” She gave Avad a hug. “And hugs and cuddles, right?”

“More of those than the sex,” he confirmed as he squeezed her tight.

“Good. I like her.”

“So do I.”

Aloy slipped out of the room and closed the door behind her as Avad opened the bathroom door and Ersa’s delighted laughter greeted him. She found Vanasha and Petra and took their warm hands, and except for the occasional drink, they didn’t leave the dance floor until the end of the night. By that time Aloy had taken her boots off, and as she, Petra, and Vanasha were leaving the mansion, she gasped at the freezing cold snow under her feet and laughed.

“Hurry! Hurry!”

“Where are Avad and Ersa?” Petra asked.

Aloy grinned as they got in the limo. “She told him that if he chaperoned me tonight, she’d let him pamper her. He rented a room.” That got hoots of laughter before she knelt between Petra’s knees and pulled her down for a kiss. The limo driver wasn’t able to see or hear in the back. “Rost said no one can stay over because I’m still grounded,” she murmured. “Feel me up quick, before we get home.” She took Petra’s hands and placed them on her breasts, and sighed with pleasure when Petra squeezed them as she returned the kiss.

“Oh, let me get in on this, too,” Vanasha laughed. She pressed against Aloy’s back and slid her hands from the top of Aloy’s thighs up, pulling her skirt along, too. She sucked gently on Aloy’s neck while Petra leaned down to put her face in Aloy’s cleavage and kiss.

Aloy gasped and squirmed. “Yep. Oh, yep. Oh, _yep._ I like that.” She moved Vanasha’s hand from her thighs to cup between them, and the groans that she and Vanasha let out had Petra gripping her breasts more firmly.

“I really wanna make you come, little huntress,” Vanasha whispered in her ear. “You wanna go home in wet panties?”

“Yes, yes, yes,” Aloy panted as she rocked against her hand.

“I’ve got her from this end,” Petra whispered as she sat up and kissed Aloy. It muffled her cries, which was necessary - she’d come twice by the time the limo pulled to a stop, and both Vanasha’s and Petra’s fingers were damp with it. They were giggling as they fixed her clothing.

There was a knock on the limo door. “Ladies?”

“Coming!” Aloy called out. That made her friends laugh. “Shut up,” she hissed, and got a smack to the rear for it. They tumbled out once the driver opened the door, and Rost was sitting on the front porch, waiting. He didn’t look hurt. “Is everything ok?” she asked as she hopped up the driveway. She still wasn’t wearing her boots.

He nodded slowly. “Did you have fun?”

“Yeah. Thank you. For letting me go, I mean. I really appreciate it.”

He shrugged as he stood. “Well, Avad _really_ wanted to treat Ersa and Ersa _really_ wanted to be treated, so it worked out. Goodnight, Aloy.”

“Goodnight, Rost.” The door closed and then she squeaked and laughed as she was turned around and kissed some more. “Hey!”

“Come on, sneak us in,” Petra told her.

“Yeah, sneak ‘em in,” was Erend’s reply from the living room window. “This thing ain’t gonna beat itself.”

The trio broke up with disgusted noises. “I’m going to kill you, Erend.” He snorted. Aloy brushed her hair out of her face and kissed Petra and Vanasha again. Their lips were soft and warm. “I’ll see you on Monday. Maybe I won’t be grounded by then.”

“Then you can stay over with us,” Vanasha suggested.

“Good idea. Me being there isn’t going to make a difference to Erend if you two are _also_ having sex.” They were both beautiful in the moonlight. Aloy kissed them again, then slipped inside and locked the house down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should kill someone next chapter.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aloy's grounded, and gets some guests.

Nil knew sign language.

It was something that Aloy had learned recently, as she’d sat at her desk after her schoolwork and all the chores that Rost had left her were done. She’d seen him standing in the backyard and had tapped on the window - which wouldn’t unlock, because Rost knew full well that Nil would crawl in if he could - and he’d started signing at her. Aloy could fingerspell and knew a few basic signs, but Nil appeared to be completely fluent. He’d spent the last few days trying to convince her to break out, moving slowly from fingerspelling to the actual signs as she learned them. The grammar structure was different, but she was catching on well.

_“Come down,”_ he was signing at her. _“Let’s go hunting.”_

_“I’m not killing you with anyone,”_ she signed back. He just stared at her. She sighed and corrected herself. _“I’m not killing anyone else with you.”_

_“Boring.”_

“Aloy!” She jumped and looked over her shoulder. “You have guests!”

_“Rost needs me,”_ she told Nil. _“See you later.”_ He was signing rude things at her as she turned around and left, tromping down the stairs and catching the edge of the doorway into the living room, swinging in dramatically. _“Yes,_ oh great master of - oh.” Samina and Charles were in the living room with Rost. Aloy stumbled a bit in surprise. They’d said they’d keep in touch, but she hadn’t been expecting a visit. She coughed and straightened up, smoothing her hair and pushing up the sleeves of Rost’s bulky, cable knit fisherman’s sweater. They fell down over her hands again immediately, and the bottom hem hit her at mid-thigh. “... sorry,” she managed. “Power’s out again. Hi.” At least she was wearing wool leggings and socks; she didn’t think they’d want to see her half-naked.

Samina’s smile was tired, but warm. “Aloy, child. Are you doing well?”

Aloy raised a sweater-covered hand to her mouth and nodded as she looked at everyone. “Uh, yeah, thanks. Are you? Is everything ok?”

Charles smiled and nodded. “Of course. We wanted to see you. I’m sorry, we should have called ahead. Are you busy?”

“I’m grounded for life,” she told him. “I’m never going to be busy again.”

The three adults glanced at each other before Charles shrugged. “Well, I wouldn’t say _that._ Though … next time, let us know when you want to come to the Symposium or a convention. We’ll be happy to bring you.” Aloy was edging her way into the room, lightly bouncing on the balls of her feet as she did. She wasn’t sure if she wanted the two Alphas there.

“Maybe once the child’s proven that she can be trusted.”

Aloy glared at the wall, rather than at Rost. _“I_ am the _most_ trustworthy child in this house,” she claimed, then backpedaled a bit at Rost’s raised eyebrow. _“I_ am the _second_ most trustworthy child in this house. Erend ---”

“I already know that I can’t trust Erend,” Rost told her shortly. “I _didn’t_ know that I couldn’t trust _you.”_ He cleared his throat. “Come in and sit down, girl. Samina and Charles aren’t going to bite you.”

Aloy sat on the couch and bounced her legs. “So …” Rost excused himself and left to putter around in the kitchen. “I mean, technically, Avad is an adult. So I _am_ the most trustworthy child in this house.”

“We all do stupid things when we’re young, Aloy. Trust me - it could have been worse.”

“Yeah, I could have eloped with Helis.” The sarcasm in her voice was apparently missed, judging from the appalled looks on Charles and Samina’s faces. Aloy forced a laugh. “It was a joke, jeez. So,” she went on brightly as she spread her arms out, “here to see the prisoner. Welcome to my cage. Want a tour? It’s pretty much everything you see here. Living room, kitchen, and bathroom with a shower down here, all the bedrooms and another bathroom upstairs, attic above that. We’ve got a nice backyard, though, when Nil isn’t in it. Rost,” she called as she turned around, “if Nil lets us use his hot plate, can he come in?”

“No.”

“And Nil is … your friend, yes?” Samina asked.

Charles wasn’t nearly so delicate. “The one you killed the bandits with.”

Aloy nodded. “Yep, that’s him. And that’s not a habit I’m starting, just so you know.” She changed the topic so that she wouldn’t be forced to start lying. “So, my design seemed well- received, right?”

“It was,” Samina confirmed. “It’s beautiful, and could be adapted for the water, as well. It would be very useful.”

The praise warmed her. She pulled her legs up under her sweater and wrapped her arms around them. “Do you want it?”

That seemed to surprise them. Charles blinked a little. “I’m … I’m sorry?”

“Do you want it?” Aloy repeated. _“I’m_ not going to use it. I just made it because I was bored. I need to fix it up a bit, but if you all want it, it’s yours.”

The two looked at each other, then Charles sat by her and Sabina reached out to take her hand. “I … Thank you, Aloy. We would very much love to buy the design from you.”

Aloy tilted her head. “No, you can just have it. You don’t need to pay me anything.”

“That is very kind of you,” Sabina told her, “but we should still pay you. Miriam Technologies isn’t without money, and you should profit from your designs.”

“But I don’t need the money.”

“Yet,” Charles said. He looked around the living room as Rost came back in and started turning on the emergency lights. “And I would argue that you _do_ need the money.”

Aloy made a face. “Wouldn’t that involve lawyers? We can’t afford that, and it’s less of a hassle to just _give_ you the design.”

“Actually,” Charles told her, “it’s less hassle to let us have our lawyer go over everything. The past couple of decades haven’t … been kind … to works in the public domain. If you don’t officially sell ownership to us, someone else will snatch the designs up.”

“Unless …” They both looked at Samina, and she shook her head as she shivered. Charles got up to readjust the blanket covering her legs, and Aloy got up, too, to pull out another one.

“Unless what?” Aloy asked as she offered the goose down comforter.

Samina took it with a smile. “Well … I do not want to pressure you, Aloy, but legally, if an intern - paid or not - uses company time and resources to develop something, that something belongs to the company.” Aloy’s eyebrows went up. Rost set hot cocoa down and sat across from them. “We have paid _and_ unpaid internships at Miriam, and of course we would love to have you working with us. But we did not come here to try to recruit you.”

Aloy pursed her lips. “If I take the internship, Rost, will you let me out of the house?”

“Not until you’re no longer grounded, and the next time you try to weasel out of it, I’m adding a week. But don’t let that stop you from accepting the offer.”

“Can we deport him back to Alaska?” Aloy asked.

Charles covered a laugh and shrugged. “Well, he _is_ First Nations, but no, we can’t. Sorry.”

“Ugh, why did Mother even bring you here ...” Aloy had sank down into the couch, but stopped herself and straightened, clearing her throat.

Rost just snorted. “I’m a good linguist.”

“What?”

Charles laughed as Aloy narrowed her eyes. “One might say … a _cunning_ linguist?”

Aloy covered her face and groaned as Rost chuckled. “No. Shut up! Stop it!”

“A _very_ cunning linguist.”

“Samina! Help! I’m a minor!”

“How do you even know that joke?” Rost was still grinning.

Aloy gave him a dirty look. “Sex and relationship ed covers innuendo, thank you very much.”

“I’m sure Nil would give the same answer.”

“I don’t know - let him come in and he’ll tell you.”

“Not happening.” He leaned back and crossed his arms behind his head. “Erend is at football practice and Avad is campaigning. I’m sorry you missed them.”

Samina shrugged. “It is fine. We had told Aloy that we would keep in touch, so we mainly came to see her. Rost says that you have two friends who you are definitely _not_ dating? What are they like?”

“Just like Avad and Ersa aren’t dating,” Rost put in.

“Except _I’m_ confused and Ersa’s just stubborn,” Aloy told him, “so _not_ like Avad and Ersa.” She turned to Samina with a smile. “They’re very good, thank you. Petra is going into weapons engineering, and Vanasha’s joining the intelligence community. We went to the winter dance together. I had fun.” Rost’s face, out of the corner of her eye, was impassive.

“So things are serious? Sort of serious?”

She looked at Charles and shrugged. “Well, there’s two of them, and I’ve never dated anyone …” Rost rolled his eyes toward the backyard and she ignored him. “It’s new to me. But I like it so far. They’re _really_ nice. And patient with me, and funny, and smart, and beautiful.” She cleared her throat suddenly, but wasn’t able to stop smiling about it. “Anyway, are you hungry?”

“No, this is good, thank you.” Samina took a drink of her cocoa and smiled. “Avad isn’t facing repercussions for attacking Helis, is he?”

“Not that I know of.” Aloy shrugged. “Why’s he hate him so - You know what? Never mind. You’re not going to tell me, anyway.”

“Helis had a hand in the attack.” Charles’ voice was bitter. “I don’t blame the boy.”

“Attack?” Aloy asked. “I thought it was an explosion.”

He waved his hand. “A Horus Titan crashing down on one _does_ tend to make explosions. The final explosion was what …” He cleared his throat and shook his head, a jerking movement. “Anyway, that’s probably why. I’m glad that ass isn’t trying to screw things up for Avad. He’s a good kid.”

“Helis was nice to _me.”_

“That is because he wants something from you, Aloy,” Samina told her gently.

Aloy shrugged. “He wants me to work with Ted. Everyone wants me to work with them. I don’t see how it’s any different from you offering me an internship.”

_“We_ don’t make war machines,” Charles told her shortly.

He had a point. Aloy put her empty mug on the coffee table. “Ok. He said they’re trying to recreate the Zero Dawn project.” Samina dropped her mug with a gasp and Charles jumped up to clean it up before it soaked through the blankets and burned her. He was muttering curses under his breath as Aloy stared. “Uhm … What’s wrong?”

“Of course the bastards want Zero Dawn. Of course they do. Of all the megalomaniacal, hare-brained, world-domination schemes …”

“I’m sorry,” Aloy said a bit loudly, “but I don’t even know what the project _is._ Why is it still so important?”

“Thank you,” Samina murmured. She took a deep breath from her oxygen tank and turned back to Aloy. “That is classified information, Aloy, and part of the legal battle for Miriam. What did he say about it?”

“That they’re trying to piece it together and want my help.” Rost picked up the blankets to wash them, exchanging looks with Samina and Charles as he left the living room. “He said the other scientists would like my input - not that I have any. Mother never talked about it with me. How is wanting the project a world-domination scheme?” Then she shook her head. “I shouldn’t ask. _Everything_ Ted does is a world-domination scheme.”

“That it is.” Charles wiped his face and sat back down next to her as Rost brought out his own blanket for Samina. “They’re not supposed to have any information on it. Not details of it, anyway. Ted is - was - bankrolling it, but ---”

“So why couldn’t he know more?”

“Because that’s what was decided,” Samina told her. “They know what it is about in general, but the particulars were left to your mother and the rest of us.”

“Oh, Helis _hated_ that part.”

Aloy propped her chin in her hands. “So … they dated, then?” The three adults went still and just looked at her. “He was _kind_ of hinting at that at the Symposium. _Really_ hinting at it.” She blew a strand of hair out of her eyes. “It was just shy of ‘I banged your mother on this very table,’ you know?”

Rost nodded. “That sounds like him. Yes, they ... dated. He didn’t like that she was required to keep secrets from him. He wants to be in complete control of everyone and everything around him.”

“But he works for Ted.”

“And it gives him more power than if he didn’t,” Charles said. “So he tolerates your uncle’s whims.”

Aloy sighed into her knees. “If he’s so terrible, why would Mother have wanted anything to do with him?”

“Why are _you_ friends with Nil? He kills for fun,” Rost went on, “but your sense of moral indignation about murder doesn’t prevent you from socializing with him.” Aloy opened her mouth, then closed it again. Rost raised an eyebrow. “I don’t care that he only kills the ‘bad guys,’ Aloy. He only goes after gangs and bandits because he would be thrown in jail otherwise - and he still _may_ be thrown in jail, if he’s not careful. The police are far more lenient when it’s the _right_ kind of people being murdered, but Marad’s patience has its limits.”

“I’m pretty sure Nil doesn’t abuse anyone,” was Aloy’s weak defense.

Rost’s derision was palpable. “Oh yes, he has a certain black honor about him, that man. Do you know how old he is?”

Samina and Charles were doing a good job of ignoring their argument. Aloy shrugged. “My age. Maybe seventeen.”

“Are you certain? Or did you just assume that because he hasn't graduated?”

She'd just assumed. And if she’d assumed wrong, Rost may just have Nil throw in jail for statutory rape. Aloy cleared her throat and stood up. “So, uh, I'll think about the internship. It sounds like it could be fun. But I've got the classes on base, and school, and I'm working at the Lodge. I don't know. I'll think about it. What have you all been doing since - I mean, the past few years?”

“Glad you asked.” Charles’ grin was broad as he laid a holopad on the coffee table and turned it on. A few machine designs popped up. Aloy slid to her knees on the floor and cupped her chin in her hands as she watched. “What do you think? We’ve been working more on ocean clean-up, since they’re low enough now that we can start reintroducing species.”

“How are you doing it? Because I’ve been thinking ...” Aloy reached out, then hesitated before Charles nodded for her to go on. She touched a ray-like machine and isolated it, turning it to look at its broad wings and long tail. “You’ve probably already thought about it, but something like this could be used to clean areas, then reintroduce species. A, uhm, a filter, you know? Then it can lay the eggs in the cracks and coral and stuff, once it’s all clean.” She shrugged, embarrassed, and repeated herself. “You probably already thought of that.”

“Actually, we hadn’t,” Samina told her. “Not that particular method, at least. I like it. Fish don’t really need to be taught how to be fish, after all, so we don’t need to make nanny machines for them.”

Aloy leaned forward until her face was almost inside the model. She took it apart, fumbling only briefly before figuring out the program's interface, and started replacing systems. “Mmkay. So here's a filtration system, uhm, for radium. The ray filters it out, uses it as fuel, and manufactures coral. Then it can lay eggs as it goes. Just as a general idea. Maybe it can use plastic particles to help build the coral.” She saved it and then swept it aside. There didn’t seem to be a turtle-like machine available, so she started modeling her own. “You’ll need ocean transports … turtle’d be best … storage in its shell …” Another idea occurred to her and she started a new model. “Oh, and a flying one for solar energy. Like a gliding lizard. Big wings with solar panels, store the energy bring it to another place or send it there. Have to be big as a Watcher, probably.”

She hadn’t realized how bored she’d been at home, nor how outdated her modeling software was. Miriam’s software was smooth and intuitive, and she was able to make even the smallest changes without difficulty. The options she had for components far surpassed what she had at home, and it was easy to make new ones, as well. It was almost as good a program as the military had. Aloy worked and talked to herself until her bladder started resisting, and then she looked up at everyone with guilty shock - it was after dark, and Erend and Avad had come back home. Ersa was setting out plates for everyone.

Samina was smiling. “This is amazing work, Aloy. Please don’t stop.”

“Well, I’ve got to pee.” She stood up and hissed at the tingles in her feet. “I’m sorry, you two came to see me, and I just ignored you.”

Charles’ laugh was warm as he helped her steady herself while the circulation returned to her feet and legs. “It’s been a joy to watch you work, Aloy. It really has. It’s almost like watching Lis again. Only Rost could pull her away from her work. Isn’t that right, my friend?”

Rost just smiled as he came in with a pot of soup and Nil on his heels. “I caved on the hot plate,” he told Aloy before turning to Charles, “and that’s classified information.”

“Still not sure how she snuck you in,” Charles snorted. “Aloy, you’re about to wet yourself. Go to the bathroom.”

“Nil, help with the food,” Rost said as her friend started to trail after her. Aloy snorted, and when she got back to the living room, the only empty spot was between Charles and Erend. Nil was seated between Rost and Avad, and he was concentrating conspicuously on his food.

“Practice kicked ass today,” Erend said.

Aloy bit back the urge to ask if it had been because he’d been sober, for once, and Ersa grinned. “Good. Join the Vanguard next year, would you?” He made a long, reluctant noise, and she laughed. “Come on, kid. It’s fun. You get paid.”

“Yeah, but it’s _work.”_

“You’ll get laid.”

That perked him up. “Yeah? That’s cool. I’ll think about it.”

“Are you king yet, Avad? My gut says we’re going to elect you king.”

That made her older brother laugh as he and Ersa shared a plate. “Not quite. Close, though. I have an amazing campaign manager.” Ersa gave a cheesy grin when he smiled tenderly at her. “I’d make …” He cleared his throat suddenly. “I’d make a decent king, I think.”

Aloy reached over for some pudding. “Great. I do, too. Tell me when we march, and I’m with you.” She turned a frown towards Charles. “Wait … You said Mother snuck Rost in? Up north?”

“Absolutely not,” was the reply. “Lis would never sneak in a man to have sex with. Ever.”

“Certainly not three times a month,” Samina added.

Rost’s cheeks were turning red. He cleared his throat. “I never snuck in. I was hired to make sure the area was safe from machines and animals during the building of the facilities, and did so.”

That made Charles snort with laughter. “Right. Very professional. Lis screamed your praises.”

“I did my best to please my employer.”

“This conversation is gross,” Erend stated as he bolted down his food. “Thanks for dinner, Ersa.”

It was late enough that Samina and Charles politely declined post-dinner games. Nil was politely yet firmly shown the door shortly after that, and Aloy lay in bed and held a Banuk figure to her chest until she fell asleep.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aloy tries to be useful, Nil tries to _not_ be useful, and Ersa jumps to conclusions.

She was being used as an armrest.

Aloy had tried shoving Nil away, but he kept propping his elbow on her head as he talked to Marad, and since he was roughly a foot taller than her and the police detective was right there, there wasn’t much she could do about it. It was probably for the best - he clearly didn’t want to be anywhere near the police station, and if Aloy could keep a fight from breaking out, all the better.

“Shocking as it may seem, Detective, I don’t _actually_ keep track of all the gangs and bandits that slither around our city like maggots through rotted flesh,” he was saying. “So no, neither I nor Aloy know anything about yesterday.”

One salt-and-pepper eyebrow raised. “I mentioned nothing about yesterday, Nil. What happened yesterday?”

“Considering it’s nine in the morning and we’re on our way to school, I’m assuming whatever you want to know about happened yesterday. Besides, gang violence has been increasing lately - it’s why I’m being _such_ a good Samaritan and walking Aloy to school.”

“How can we help you, Detective?” Aloy cut in. “We’re going to be late.” She shoved Nil’s arm off of her head, but he put it right back on as she sighed.

Marad didn't come to her rescue. “We haven't found anything about the man - nor the weapon - at the bandit camp. Is there anything else you remember? Anything at all? I'm conducting a private internal investigation into your claims of who was behind the kidnapping, but I haven't found anything out about that, either.”

Aloy shook her head. “I don't. I'm sorry. I _might_ be able to recognize his voice, but he was out of sight the entire time.”

“If I knew who the ringleader was,” Nil added, “I'd take care of him myself. Unfortunately, I'm not that lucky.”

“Yes, unfortunately.” It was said dryly, but may have had a tinge of seriousness to it. “But I _am_ glad to see you back at school, Miz Sobeck, and to hear that your brother won’t face any charges. Eclipse must be very interested in you, indeed.”

“Yeah, it’s a great big mystery,” she muttered. “It sounded - it felt - like some sort of sonic weapon - but I don’t know of one that could cause _that_ much damage.”

“Neither do we - and that is what concerns me. Wars are fought with machines these days, but that weapon seems to clearly be geared toward use on humans. Do you have a thought, Miz Sobeck?”

She did. One she didn’t want to think. Aloy took a breath. “I don’t think my uncle would be stupid enough to be involved in this - he’s too attached to people thinking _he_ saved the world, not my mother - but he might be able to help, if I asked him.”

“If you said you’d work with him,” Nil corrected her.

She nodded. “Yeah. But Rost would kill me.”

Detective Marad was nodding. “I understand. You recently accepted an internship at Miriam Technologies - might they be able to help?”

“I think that Ted would be able to help more, but I’ll ask.”

“I appreciate it. Have a good day.”

He tapped his Focus and walked off. Nil moved his arm around her shoulders as they headed the other direction. “Wanna go kill someone?”

 _“No,”_ Aloy snapped. “Stop asking.”

“Hey, I give you great orgasms.”

“That doesn’t obligate me to murder people with you. Oh, God, why are we even _having_ this conversation?” She pushed him away. “You’re not normal.”

He was grinning as he slung his arm over her shoulder again. “And yet you have my face between your legs on a regular basis. For someone who doesn’t seem too interested in sex, you certainly want a lot of it once you’re having it.”

Aloy glared up at him. “As if you don’t try to crawl into my room half the time.”

“I do, but I also _admit_ that I want it. I don’t just sit on the bed and spread my legs until you get the hint.”

She gave him a _look._ “I don’t do that.”

“Sure you do. You did it last night. It’s rather fun, seeing how far you’re willing to go to let me know that you want to fuck without saying so.”

“I’m plenty forward.”

“Sometimes.” He squeezed her to him. “And no, you are _not_ obligated to have sex with me ---”

“You mean murder people with you.”

“--- same thing --- just because I have you screaming on a weekly basis. And yes, you _do_ make a lot of noise.”

Aloy gave him another dirty look. “I doubt it. Erend would be _more_ than happy to let me know if I did.”

“I didn’t say it was _loud_ noise.” They walked in silence for a minute or so before Nil squeezed her shoulder again. “So, are you going to talk to Faro?”

Aloy let out a long, slow breath. “I don’t know. I’ll talk with the Alphas, first. I don’t want to have anything to do with Ted right now.”

“Or Eclipse?”

Aloy shook her head as she hunched her shoulders and rubbed her arms. Her stomach twisted. The more she thought about Helis’ behavior toward her, the slimier it made her feel. His attentions hadn’t been sexual, but they hadn’t been _not_ sexual either, despite his claims to the contrary. She couldn’t describe it, but she knew how it made her feel, and it made her feel disgusting.

“Do I need to take care of anyone for you?” She almost missed Nil’s soft question. She looked up into his clear eyes, a blue so pale it turned them purple, and he was more serious than she’d seen him aside from right before they’d gone to the bandit camp. He tilted his head. “... Well?”

“Are you … being protective of me?”

He huffed a little, but squeezed her again. “Only because _I_ am the only one who should be able to make you uncomfortable - and never like you are now.”

“You are _so_ creepily sweet.”

“Don’t tell anyone.”

*

Ersa was leaning against a tree a month later, glancing at Aloy once in awhile as she kept an eye out on the perimeter of the bandit camp - the flattened area, at least. Aloy was sure that all evidence of the weapon that had been used had been washed away by the melting snow, time, animals, police, and whoever had used it, but she had to try. It also gave her the opportunity to do a field test of a new machine, so it wouldn’t be a complete waste of her Saturday. She followed it as it tunneled underground, small enough to leave hardly a trace of its passing, sending out sonar to look for abnormalities and building a three-dimensional map of the area. She’d spent the last two hours slowly working her way to the center of the blast radius, and so far, everything pointed to it being cause by nothing but a hell of a lot of focused sound waves. Aloy wasn’t quite sure how she, Nil, and Hiro had survived it - or the man, for that matter. She kicked at the ground in disgust as her little friend popped out of the ground at long last and scurried back to her. She knelt and let the mole-like thing crawl into her hand, up her arm, and nestle against the side of her neck. The whirring of its internal parts sounded almost like a purr. It was comforting, as she headed back to Ersa and shook her head.

“Damn,” the other woman swore softly.

 _“She_ works, at least.” Aloy reached up and gently stroked the tiny machine. Its mechanical purr intensified - she’d deliberately made its exoskeleton sensitive to pressure and temperature. “Got a full map of the area with minimal structural damage to the earth.”

“Well, that’s good, then. Damn fine way to spend my weekend.” She spit on the ground and Aloy just shrugged.

“Hey, I’m working with what I’ve got. No one else has any leads.”

“Oh, it was nothing against _you._ I’d just rather be anywhere else.”

Aloy snorted as Ersa slung her arm around her shoulder. “With Avad?”

“Ugh. He thinks he’s going to change the world overnight. Down, boy. He reads enough - he should know that that’s not going to happen.”

“Maybe he’s trying to impress you.”

Aloy had nudged her, and Ersa just gave a short bark of laughter. “It’d impress me more if he pulled his head out of his ass about what he’s currently capable of doing.”

“It’d impress _me_ if he could pull his head out of his ass about _anything.”_

That had Ersa laughing again. “Uh, yeah. He’s been asking me to go out to a fancy dinner with him all week.”

“Oh?” They pushed their way through the underbrush as they talked. “Why not go? You like it when he pampers you.”

Aloy got a long eyeroll. “Because nobody invites someone out to Fatima’s unless they’re going to propose.”

That made the younger woman choke. “Excuse me? _You_ won’t even admit that you’re dating, and _he’s_ trying to propose? No, wait - that sounds _exactly_ like Avad. Could you be a Freebooter if you married him?”

“A politician’s wife putting herself in danger? Deliberately?” Ersa laughed again. “No. Well, I _could,_ if he wanted to be a widower damn quick.”

Aloy shrugged. “A politician’s girlfriend would be in just as much danger.”

“It’s a lot more freedom. I don’t want to marry him.”

“So when will you break things off? Because he’s pretty intent on being a politician _and_ with you.” Ersa was quiet, and Aloy didn’t push. Maybe they wouldn't break up until she had moved out. She loved her older brother, but she didn't want to be around him while his heart was breaking. She didn't know how she would handle it, and he would probably live at home in order to help them until Erend moved out. “Want me to punch him a bit?”

“No, because then he might cry.” She was quiet for a few more minutes before punching a tree as they passed it. _“Damn it._ Why can’t he just _slow down?_ I like him - I like him a hell of a lot more than I’ve ever liked any other guy - but maybe I don’t want to settle down and pop out kids, you know? He wants them - he wants ten, I swear. Ten million. My old man’s a useless drunk. I don’t know the first thing about kids, and I don’t want to be a bad parent. I _certainly_ don’t want to get married _now._ I’m eighteen - I’m not ready for that. Might not ever be. But Avad is just … _ugh.”_ She hit another tree as they walked. “He _cares._ He doesn’t care like he wants to _fix_ thing for me, he cares like he wants to _help_ and wants to know how _I_ want him to help. He _listens_ and he’s _nice_ and he’s _sweet_ and even when he gets angry, he comes back and _apologizes_ even when _I_ started the fight. He’s got a royal stick up his ass and weird notions of honor - oh yeah, banging me in his own bed is fine but God forbid we go to my house when he hasn’t _met my parents_ \- but … but _damn it._ He cares about you and Erend and Rost and he cares about me and I’m not sure where it all comes from and how he doesn’t ever get tired of it.” Her voice choked up and Ersa hit every tree they passed. “I don’t deserve that,” she finally got out. “I was just fine taking care of myself until _he_ showed up. He told me I was beautiful - which makes his vision jacked up, too. He said I had passion and leadership skills, whenever everyone else called me a bossy bitch. He would spend hours with me after school, helping me prep for debates _against him._ He’s terrible at martial arts but he still practices with me. He helped me get into the Freebooters. Why is that asshole so fucking _perfect?”_

Aloy shrugged. “He’s ok, I guess. I mean, he loves all of us. He does his best.”

Ersa may have had tears on her cheeks. Aloy wasn’t looking too hard. “Well, if you tell him that I love him, I’ll kick your ass.” Then she cleared her throat. “So what about you and your ladies? What’s up with Nil? Avad’s worried about you and him.”

“Well, I think we just determined that Avad’s worried about _everyone.”_ Ersa snorted, but at least there was some amusement in it. “I’m not in love with Nil, if that’s what you’re asking. He’s just … I don’t know. It’s nice. But if I had to choose between him and Vanasha and Petra, I’d choose them.”

“Are they ok with you not choosing? Because I’ve been accused of leading Avad on before, but if you want to talk about leading people on …”

Aloy pushed a branch out of her way and scowled. “Well, they’re not insisting I choose.”

Ersa laughed. “That doesn’t mean they don’t want you to. Look, just screw Nil, get a feel for what dick is like, then admit you’re ninety-five-percent Team Ladies and get it over with.” Aloy laughed with her. “Relationships are terrible things. I hate being a social species - _what the fuck are you doing here?!”_ she nearly shrieked as they came into view of her car. Avad was dressed in pressed cream jeans, a red silk belt, bronze silk shirt, and bronze loafers, leaning against her car with a picnic basket at his feet. His normally-fluffy bangs were slicked back, and he was opening his mouth with a smile when Ersa stormed up and pushed him in the chest. “What the hell? I told you, I don’t want to go to dinner! I don’t want a fucking picnic! _I don’t want to marry you!”_

Aloy watched her brother’s face melt into confusion as he was shoved again. “What? No, Ersa, I ---”

“No!” she yelled. “No! I’m not! Stop pestering me! Why can’t you just, just, just _stop?”_

“Ersa!”

It was funny. It shouldn’t have been funny. Avad was holding his hands up, trying to calm Ersa down, and she was almost a foot shorter than him but he was _so_ clearly intimidated by her and _so_ confused about what she was angry about, and Aloy had to hold both of her hands over her mouth to keep back her laughter. Her brother, for all his sharp intelligence, was an idiot. She watched him let Ersa shriek at him for another minute or so before he started yelling back.

 _“It’s your birthday!”_ Ersa paused, which let him go on. _“I wanted to take you out for your birthday!_ Jesus _Christ,_ Ersa, why would I ask you to marry me?!” He threw his hands in the air in disgust and stepped over the picnic basket and around her. “If you had _listened to me for one damn second when I asked you out,_ you would have _known that it was for your birthday._ Why are you _so damn stubborn?”_

It took Ersa a moment to collect herself, then she was right back in the fight. “Who the hell invites someone to Fatima’s if they’re not going to propose?!”

“Lots of people!”

“Well, why didn’t you _say_ it was for my birthday?!”

“I did! That was _literally_ the first thing out of my mouth! ‘Ersa, _for your birthday,_ I want to take you to Fatima’s.’ That’s what I said! But all _you_ heard was ‘Fatima’s,’ and then you freaked out!”

Ersa was hopping up and down to stay in Avad’s face. He had his fists on his hips and was glaring down at her. “So why did you choose Fatima’s? You _know_ what it’s known for!”

“Because it’s your _favorite restaurant?”_

Ersa stopped, eyes wide and mouth open a little, then pulled Avad down by his collar and kissed him. Avad kissed her back, holding her face in his hands as her own slid around his back, and Aloy decided that it was time to head off to the bus stop. She sat down and idly pet her little machine on the ride back to the city. She hoped they wouldn’t get arrested for having sex in public. The window was cool against her temple. She didn’t want to have to ask Ted for help. The Alphas were trying to help, but they didn’t have anything to go off of, short of trying to make their own sonic weapon, and that was ten kinds of illegal. Maybe she could make something that would be able to negate the sound waves - or at least mitigate them enough to not cause brain damage. She played with a few designs until she got home, then sent them off for the rest of the team to review. Nil wasn’t there. She was alright with that. There was a bouquet of white-tipped, purple tulips on the front porch, though, addressed to her in generic typeface. She brought them in and put them in water, then spent a while moving them between the kitchen and living room and various places in each room, until she finally brought out a couple more vases and split them up. She was reading on the porch when Ersa dropped Avad off. She expected Ersa to come in, but they just stayed in the car for a few minutes, foreheads pressed together as they talked, then Avad got out and walked up the driveway on his own.

“Did you break up?” Aloy asked softly.

She got a soft laugh. “No. No, we didn’t.”

“Good. You make each other happy.” She waved to Ersa and followed her brother inside, where he was looking at the tulips.

“Where did you get these?”

“I don’t know. They were here when I got home.” She leaned over to smell one. “Why?”

Avad’s shoulders slumped a bit. “... They were Mother’s favorite flower.” He shook his head. “No, we didn’t break up. We just … cleared some things up. I can’t ask her to marry me unless I’ve gotten her permission beforehand, and she’s going to stop assuming that that’s what I want. Which it is. What I want. But I’m not going to ask and she’s not going to assume.” He gestured to her shoulder. “New machine?”

Aloy nodded and picked the tiny thing up, holding it carefully in her hands as she held it out for Avad to look at. “Yeah. Her name’s Moley.”

That got her another soft laugh as Avad reached out to pet her. “That’s … an original name.”

“I’m good at engineering, not naming things.” His smile was pained, though, his face pinched. Aloy tilted her head at him. “Are you sure you’re ok?”

He shrugged as Moley purred and rubbed against his fingers. “She doesn’t think it can work, her being a Freebooter and me being a politician. But she promised to try. And she’s going to try to reign Erend in. Is he out?”

“No, he’s sleeping. I made sure he’s on his side.”

“Good.” Avad looked around the living room. “You should get to bed. You’re going out with Petra and Vanasha tomorrow, right?”

“Yeah, in my skimpiest bikini.”

She got a roll of his eyes. “I don’t think you _own_ a bikini.”

“Not yet.” She grinned and headed upstairs. “Goodnight, nerd.”

“Goodnight, dweeb.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Moley.
> 
> She named it Moley.  
> *  
> *  
> *  
> *  
> Hey, so, not only do I work really hard to write engaging, entertaining stories, but I do it for free. I don't plan on changing that, however, if you like my work and would like to pitch in to help me pay the bills, you can always toss me some change via [PayPal](https://www.paypal.me/LarissaFae) and I would be so incredibly overjoyed.
> 
> Thank you!


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's some smut and some plot - I can do both!

“Tomorrow’s my birthday.”

Nil’s breath was soft on the small of her back as he pressed a gentle kiss there. “Mm.”

“We’re having a big party.”

“Hm …” He kissed her again, breath warm against her skin.

“I hate my birthday.”

“So why celebrate?”

She looked over her shoulder as they lay on her bed. He was concentrating his kisses on her birthmarks. “Because it’s a big deal to Rost and Avad. Maybe I’ll get a pony this year.” His goatee tickled and she wiggled a bit. It got a soft hum of amusement. “Stooooop.” She rolled onto her back and his kisses followed suit. Every three or four kisses turned into a nip. She patted his head in vague protest and wiggled some more. “Stooooop.”

“‘M buthy,” he mumbled as he slid his tongue between her legs. Aloy didn't move her thighs apart to help him, but neither did she squeeze them together to hinder him. She let out a soft moan and ran her fingers through his hair as she stared up at the ceiling. Nil let out a short growl after a while. “If you aren't going to cooperate, I'm leaving.”

Aloy huffed with breathless laughter. He sat up and she reached for him. “No, come back.” She got a glare and laughed. Nil got up. “Fine, go. I was going to say you could put it in me, but whatever.”

That had Nil laying back down next to her so quickly that she caught a little air as the mattress bounced. She laughed loud enough that Erend banged on the wall. “Are you serious?” he asked, sliding one arm beneath her neck and his fingers between her legs and inside of her. Aloy arched her hips up and nodded, mouth half-open as she panted and wrapped her arms around his neck. “You mean this, Aloy?”

She nodded again and laughed a bit. “Yeah. I mean it. Do you have condoms?”

He kissed her as he nodded. “In the tent. Give me two minutes.” Then he held her cheeks in both hands and pressed their foreheads together, looking her in the eye. “Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m sure,” she told him. This close, she wasn’t sure if his eyes were gray or a pale enough blue to seem purple. She had her own condoms, but it was nice to know that Nil didn’t even think to ask that, and just immediately pulled his pants on and crawled out of her window. She leaned over and put her Focus back on for a moment. _I’m going to have sex with Nil right now. Then I want to have sex with you two tomorrow._

_think i just creamed myself_ was Petra’s immediate reply, complete with a gif of Niagara Falls.

Vanasha’s response was a bit more subdued. _Together, or separately?_

_sep is prob best_

_It’s Aloy’s birthday. Let her decide._

Aloy was burning up with both embarrassment and arousal. She swallowed sharply and sent them the link to a website that let the user plan out what sort of sex they wanted to have, in as much or as little detail as the user wanted. She’d gotten fairly detailed. _I want to do this._

There was nothing for a few moments. Then, _o sweet baby jesus thank u god muhammad and the easter bunny_

_We will study this thoroughly._

_very thoroughly_

There was a pause.

_super thoroughly_

_Do let us know when you’re done with Nil, and how it goes, little huntress._

_film it plz_

Aloy laughed. _I’m not filming it, but I’ll let you know how it goes._

_ride it like u stole it baby_

_Have fun, dearest._

“Are they alright with this?” Nil asked from the window.

Aloy took her Focus off and set it on her desk with a nod. “Yeah. Are you?”

He gave her an odd look as he pulled himself back in the room. “Why would I care who you have sex with?”

“I think I want to date them.”

“That hardly means you and _I_ have to stop having sex.” He pulled his sweats off and sat on the bed, looking down at her and fiddling with the condom package. “Well, I suppose that _you_ may want to make sure they’re fine with it, after you start dating them, but _I_ don’t care either way. Do you still want to have sex?”

Aloy got to her knees and leaned against his back, reaching down to poke his penis. “Yep.” She poked it again.

Nil huffed and smacked at her hand. “Stop that.”

“I’m helping.”

“No, you aren’t.”

She poked him again. “Yes, I am.”

Nil took her hand and wrapped it around his penis, squeezing firmly as he pulled it up and down. _“That_ is helping.” He twisted a bit, pulled her around so she was next to him, and brushed her thick hair over her shoulder, leaning in to kiss her neck as he fondled her breasts. Aloy tilted her head to the side and arched into his touch. “Wanna kill someone later?” he whispered.

“I don’t get off on death,” Aloy whispered back.

“And _I_ get off on nothing else. Be quiet.”

“Make me.”

“Tongue, blanket, or dick?” Aloy blinked, and Nil lifted his head with a teeth-baring grin. “You said to make you be quiet. Would you like me to do so with my tongue, the blanket, or my dick?”

Aloy laughed and threw one leg over his own, then slid into his lap as he leaned back a bit and watched with a smirk and an arched eyebrow. “I’m not putting your dick in my mouth,” she whispered as she kissed him. She grabbed a fistful of his hair and he grunted a little, pulling her more tightly against him and curling one hand beneath her rear, squeezing before sliding two fingers inside of her. Aloy took a sharp breath and rocked her hips, which slid his fingers in and out of her and also rubbed her clit against his dick. He held the back of her neck with his other hand as he chewed gently on her bottom lip and watched her. Aloy was audibly moaning - short, sharp little noises - by the time he tilted them both onto their sides and bit his way down her neck and over her breasts, down her stomach, settling between her legs and licking her more. Aloy grabbed the sheets in one fist and his hair in the other and arched her hips up to meet his mouth. “Oh, God …”

“Thought you were an atheist,” Nil murmured against her with a soft laugh.

“I want to be on top,” Aloy whined softly.

“And I, coincidentally,” was Nil’s response as he pushed himself up and opened the condom, “don’t want to do any more work.” She got a grin as she sat up and watched him slide it on, then he lay next to her and gestured. “Your ride, my lady.”

Aloy laughed, settling over him and wiggling her hips a bit with her hands on his chest, supporting the weight of her upper body. “Alright … let’s … do this …” He held himself steady as she lowered her hips, watching her with an intrigued half-smile as she slid herself over the head of his penis and let out short, sharp, soft whines as it pressed against her, pushing just slightly into her before she moved again. She closed her eyes and concentrated on the different feelings, pushing down a little more each time his penis pressed against the entrance to her vagina, the increasing pressure a delightful straddling between pleasure and pain. Nil whispered something and she kissed him, pushing down more and more, until he had to move his hand and the tip of his penis was inside of her. She gasped a little and held still, her body tense. It hurt, but it didn’t _hurt._ The tight stretch felt good. Aloy opened her eyes and Nil was still watching her, still grinning. She inched herself up and down for a few moments until he was almost as slick as she was, then settled entirely on top of him and sat up, blinking and licking her dry lips.

“How does it feel?” Nil whispered. He rested one hand on her hip and reached the other up to trail his fingers over her breasts.

“It’s … it’s interesting,” Aloy whispered back. “It’s nice. Good.”

He tweaked her nipple with a laugh. “In awe of how well-endowed I am?”

She huffed a little and slid her hips forward and back. The corners of his eyes tightened as he let out a tense breath. “No. But you’re adequate.”

“As long as I am that, at least. Do you need your vibrator?”

Aloy shook her head and continued to slide forward and back, absorbed in the pressure of him inside of her. It was fascinating - the nerves were all at the very entrance to her vagina, so she _felt_ it when she lifted herself up and down, and the rest was just a very intriguing, pleasant pressure inside of her. After a while she lay on him and he wrapped one arm around her back and curled his other hand over her rear, kissing her neck as he started to arch his hips up to meet her. His hips were bony enough that she could grind her clit against them, and panted into the crook of his neck as she rode him. It wasn’t the best orgasm she’d had, when it came, but it was certainly the most interesting one. Nil’s lean arms tightened around her and he kissed her as she whimpered and shuddered, and she lay over him and took deep breaths as the aftershocks of it shuddered through her.

“Was that fun?” Nil whispered after a while.

Aloy nodded. He rolled her off of him and turned on his side, running his hand up and down her hips and back. “You didn’t finish,” she murmured. Nil shook his head as he brushed her hair out of her face. “Do you want to?”

That made her friend laugh a little. He fondled her earlobe and shook his head again. “You don’t want to do what will get me off, my dear. Trust me,” he said firmly when she opened her mouth. “Shall I be on top, next time?”

Aloy turned onto her back and watched him watch her and wondered what got him off. She was sure that it involved violence and blood. It chilled her, but, somewhat worryingly, not as much as she thought it probably should have. “I’ll ask.”

Her reply got a shrug. “As you like. Are we showering?”

She gave him a dirty look. “Of course not - everyone’s home. I’ve got wipes.” She pulled them out of her desk drawer and started wiping herself down - they were made specifically to be used in place of a bath or shower, and were often cheaper than using up water. They’d been popular during the Clawback Decade, when water had been tightly rationed. After they were clean, Aloy pulled on sweats and a hoodie, then sat cross-legged on the bed and looked at Nil. “You want to do this again?”

He shrugged and ran his fingers through his hair. “It was a pleasant distraction, as always. Do _you?”_

She frowned a little as she thought. “It was nice, and I wouldn’t mind, but … I like Petra and Vanasha. I really like them. They’re my friends, and they’re good to me, and they put up with me - they don’t _mind_ putting up with me - they like it. They make me … feel warm. No one’s ever done that, before.”

Nil yawned. “Alright, you’re in love with them. So?”

“So, I need to talk with them about it. I don’t … I don’t know. I’m not in love with you. I don’t think I’ll ever be in love with you.”

“Oh, my broken heart.”

Aloy tucked her hands into the opposite sleeves and bounced her arms on her legs in frustration There was a slight squeak and she moved her arms forward so she wasn’t squishing Moley, who had taken up residence in the hoodie’s front pocket. “So, I don’t know. I don’t know how exclusive they want to be.”

“There’s two of them. I doubt they’re very exclusive.”

“Nil ---”

He got up and started pulling his own clothes on. “But I understand that this is important to you. If you want another roll, let me know. If not, it honestly does not bother me. Sex is fun, but not a necessity.” He held his hand out and smiled. “Come on, I’m hungry.”

She took his hand and let it go as soon as she was up, and Erend called out from the living room once he saw them coming down the stairs. “Aloy! Hey, Nil’s here! Did you get laid?”

“Yes,” she told him flatly as she walked into the kitchen, pulling the hoodie’s hood over her head.

Erend spluttered. “What? Really? Is she serious?”

“I got yelled at the last time I pried,” was Avad’s response. Ersa was sitting on the counter and had her legs wrapped loosely around his hips as she shared a sandwich with him. He wasn’t looking at anyone else.

“Hey, congrats on winning,” Aloy told him. He was in the well-tailored dark gray suit of a junior city councilmember. “That was the perfect birthday present. I don’t need anything else.”

“So we should give the pony back?” Rost asked from the table.

Aloy kissed his forehead. “No. I want the pony. But nothing else. Get out of the fridge, Nil.”

He sat at the table across from Rost, ignoring the man’s dark look, and grabbed a peach. “Fine. If I starve, it’s on you.”

“Don’t worry - I’ll make sure we preserve your body for next winter.”

“You would want to ---”

“Do you want to leave?” Rost asked sharply.

Nil shrugged and stopped talking, concentrating on his fruit. Aloy tried to find away around Ersa and her brother to the cupboard behind them, and finally nudged his shin with her toe. “Hey. You’re in the way.” She was ignored. They seemed to be having a conversation that consisted entirely of raised eyebrows, crooked smiles, and ‘Mm?,’ ‘Mm,’ and ‘Mm-hm.’ She heaved a long, loud sigh, and they still didn’t move. “Rost, make them stop.”

“I tried. It didn’t work.”

There was a knock at the door, and Aloy stomped off to answer it. There was a tall, strong-jawed police officer on the porch, handsome in his harshness, caramel-skinned with thick black hair that was greying on the sides. His dark brown eyes were hard and didn’t warm with his smile as he held his hand out. “Miz Sobeck. I am Officer Zaid ---”

“Oh, hey,” she interrupted. “What’s up?”

“I apologize for interrupting, however, I wanted to ask you a few questions about the Nyong’o case.”

Nil had said an officer had been involved. Marad hadn’t found out who it was. Aloy leaned against the doorway and shrugged. “Marad’s already asked everything. Talk to him.” She held her hands behind her and wiggled her fingers.

Officer Zaid just smiled again. “I would prefer to hear it from you, Miz Sobeck.”

“That’s _Doctor_ Sobeck!” Erend called.

“Shut up, no it’s not!” she called back over her shoulder. Nil was sitting very, very still.

“Just pay to challenge all the courses, already!”

“We don’t have the money, you idiot!” She turned back to Zaid with a bright grin. “Sorry, my brother’s an idiot. ‘Miz’ is just fine. The kid’s home, Marad’s working the case, I can’t remember anything useful. Sorry.”

She got a disappointed sigh and a nod. “I see. Is it alright if I come in?”

He made as if to walk past her, which would legally give him the right to search the house for anything he wanted, but Aloy straightened and shook her head. “You don’t want to go in there. Erend’s probably going to start singing, soon. We can talk out here.” On cue, Erend started singing as loudly as he could, and Rost appeared in the doorway behind Aloy. When she looked over her shoulder at him, she couldn’t see Nil in the kitchen. “Officer Zaid wants to ask me some things about Hiro. Is that alright? Since I’m still a minor, and all,” she told the officer.

Zaid nodded and stepped back. “Of course. My apologies, Mr. Nora. Aloy has no issue with speaking freely with Marad - I assumed she would also have no issue speaking with myself. Is it alright if we talk?”

“That’s because Rost is fine with me talking to Marad. I do what my guardian says.” She flopped onto the porch swing and started pushing it back and forth after Rost sat next to her. He snorted a bit. “What do you want to know? My friend and I were out hunting, we saw the smoke from the camp, went to investigate, and now here we are. I don’t know what sort of weapon was used, and I was a little too preoccupied with keeping Hiro safe to get a look at whoever was in charge. This isn’t on record?”

Zaid clasped his hands behind his back. “It is, yes, but I have found that sometimes talking to different people will yield different results. Now, the Nyong’os - they have been paying for therapy for you, yes?”

“For a bit, but not anymore.” Aloy wiggled her toes and wished she’d put socks on. “Basically until they’d paid the reward money. I mean, they gave me a little to put into savings, but yeah. It was ok therapy. I’ve been to worse.”

“And they contributed heavily to your brother’s campaign.”

“They contributed the legal limit. Several people did. It’s all transparent and open for anyone to view - Avad’s a good guy.”

She got a charming smile. “I never said he wasn’t, Miz Sobeck. I just want to make sure all our bases are covered.”

Aloy let her breath out and watched it hover in the cold winter air. “It sounds like you’re suggesting that the Nyong’os, what, paid to have their kid kidnapped and cut up, then paid me to find them?”

“People have done worse things, Miz Sobeck. Some people will do anything to advance their cause.”

“Or, two mothers who had their kid stolen are very grateful that he’s back, kept their word about the reward money, and also found an up-and-coming, like-minded politician to mentor.” Aloy dug some gum out of her sweats’ pocket and popped it in her mouth. She stood up and shrugged. “I’ve gotta go. Birthday stuff. Work. You know.”

He nodded and held his hand out, squeezing just a bit on the firm side when she took it. “Of course. Do let me know if you remember anything else.”

Aloy shoved her hands back into her front pocket and nodded. “Yeah, sure. Bye.” She turned and walked inside, and after a moment Rost followed her. A quick scan of her Focus showed that Zaid hadn’t left anything. She flopped onto the couch and giggled a bit as Moley shifted and started rubbing against her fingers, her long whiskers tickling. “Was he creepy?”

“Very,” Nil confirmed. He leaned in the doorway and crossed his arms over his chest. “Does he seem familiar?”

“Maybe. It’s kind of odd that he’d show up - I thought Marad was the one in charge of the investigation.”

“He is.”

“Don’t call him.” Aloy and Nil both looked at Rost in surprise as she raised her hand to her Focus. He was in front of the living room window, arms crossed over his thick chest as he faced the room. “He wanted access to the house and a minor without the permission of their guardian.”

“I _do_ talk to Marad whenever he wants.”

“Marad is the detective in charge of the investigation, and an honorable man. There are … rumors … about Officer Zaid.”

Aloy stroked Moley and listened to her mechanical purr. “What rumors?”

“That he was a slaver during the Clawback Decade,” was Ersa’s response as she and Avad walked in. “Used his position to do it - made false arrests, exaggerated charges, that sort of thing. People used to get lost in the system quite a bit, I hear. More than one officer was involved over the years. It was good money.”

“Do you think he never stopped?” Nil asked.

Rost shrugged. _“If_ he was, it’s possible. The slave trade is still alive and well. That was one of the reasons your mother hired me.”

“And here I thought it was the animalistic sex with an untamed mountain man,” Nil muttered.

“That was an eventual perk,” was Rost’s distracted reply as his children spluttered. “Aloy, I want you to go talk with Marad tomorrow. I believe Avad has things he wants to discuss with the chief of police - go with him.”

Aloy lay her head back with a groan. “Not that I don’t like hanging out with Avad, but why can’t I just call him?”

“Because it’s possible that Zaid is scanning for just that. I don’t want to tip him off. What’s that noise?”

He raised his eyebrows as Moley pushed her way out of Aloy’s front pocket and chittered at her. She projected a 3D map of the bandit camp, and dotted all over it were tiny arrows in various shades of purple. She nuzzled Aloy’s hand again as everyone stared at the map and, above it, Zaid’s picture, taken from the genetic residue when he’d shaken her hand and cross-referenced with all available libraries of people.

Aloy finally cleared her throat. “Well … Zaid’s a police officer. Of course he’d be at the camp, investigating. Multiple times.” She waved her fingers and everything but the palest purple arrows disappeared, a date range appearing above them. “Since … before I was there …”

“Upload those to Miriam’s servers,” Avad ordered her even as she did it.

“Extra-encrypted,” she told him. She looked around. “Are we going to get killed?”

“Not if we kill him, first,” Nil told her with a delighted grin.

Rost closed the curtains and then crouched in front of Aloy. “Does he know about that thing?”

“Moley? I don’t think so.”

“Then he doesn’t know what it can do. Good. How accurate is it?”

Aloy shrugged. “I’ve never tested this part. I mean, a lot of stuff happened, and it was a while ago - there’s a lot of room for error. If Moley had a blood sample or something, she’d be able to pinpoint when he was there better, but that’s also assuming all this,” and she gestured at the tiny arrows, “wasn’t just diluted by the dirt getting mixed together, or the rain, or snow, or other people … I mean, honestly, I really don’t know how strong her particle processor actually is. I haven’t gotten around to testing it yet. This could just be a giant false positive.”

“Let us hope it is,” Rost told her. He pursed his lips. “I am … comfortable with Nil staying over for a while. With you.”

Aloy sighed. “Thanks, but I’m staying with Petra and Vanasha tomorrow. Remember? My birthday?”

“Are you getting laid tomorrow?” Erend whispered loudly.

Aloy glared at him even as she blushed. “That _was_ the plan, but now I’m apparently in Witness Protection.”

That made Rost laugh. “No, you can still stay with them. The less reason Zaid has to suspect we may know something, the better.”

“Well, that’s settled.” Aloy stretched her foot out. “I’m the birthday girl - I need a foot rub. And hot cocoa! Erend, are you in the Freebooters, yet?”

“Still waiting on his application to go through,” Ersa said as she sat and started rubbing Aloy’s foot. “But I pulled a few strings. Namely, I said ‘Dervahl, this kid’s all brawn and no brains - a Freebooter by birth. Hire him.’ Pretty sure he’ll be accepted.” Avad was laughing in the kitchen. “I mean, it’ll be part time, and basically JROTC for now, but it’s something. Can you stay sober long enough, Erend?”

“I’m always sober,” he lied.

Ersa rolled her eyes. “Yeah, well, if Aloy’s in danger from Zaid, you’ll need to _actually_ be sober. Just party with me, from now on. Drinking alone is no fun. I’m not an alcoholic and I’m not depressed,” she called without turning as Avad looked over his shoulder with a worried frown. “God, he worries so much.” But she was smiling, and tickled the bottom of Aloy’s foot, making her jerk and laugh. “We’ll keep you safe, kid.”

Aloy took the hot cocoa Avad came and handed to her and grinned. “Thanks. I appreciate it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> JROTC = [Junior Reserve Officer's Training Corps](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junior_Reserve_Officers%27_Training_Corps)


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Part one of Aloy's birthday!
> 
> There's smut in the beginning.

“Are you alright?”

Aloy nodded and held Nil tighter. She had one leg over his shoulder and the other around his waist, hands grasping at his back and neck. She made small noises each time he pushed into her, but was otherwise quiet - Rost and her brothers had been up for a while, preparing everything for her birthday, and while everyone knew that Nil had stayed the night after the revelation of Zaid’s possible involvement with Hiro’s kidnapping, she didn’t want to confirm any suspicions that she was having sex with him. She just panted in his ear and scraped her nails along his back and neck each time she had a particularly strong spike of pleasure, and Nil wasn’t trying to get her to be noisier. He sighed a little and shifted, propping himself up more on one elbow and kissing her forehead as he flicked his gaze around the room. Aloy looked up at him and bit her lower lip with a soft moan.

“You look bored,” she half-whimpered.

“A little,” he admitted. Aloy laughed and got a slight grin. “The activities required to actually get me off during sex are … not what a sweet girl like you would be interested in.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Maybe I would be. What is it - tying people up? Spanking?”

Nil’s laughter had him burying his face in her neck as he shook with it. It was low and rumbled through his chest and into hers. He leaned down to bite her lip gently, staring at her as he slowly increased the pressure. Aloy put one hand on his chest when it started to hurt and shook her head with another slight whimper. The combination of the pain in her lip and the pleasure everywhere else was confusing. Nil’s breathing changed slightly and Aloy was reminded that he was, in fact, an incredibly dangerous person to be around, and that she really _shouldn’t_ be having sex with him. He let her lip go but bit it again before she could turn her head. Aloy pushed at his chest. He didn’t stop biting or fucking her. He just kept staring at her, panting just slightly, one hand under her shoulder and gripping her hair tightly and the other squeezing her breast almost enough to hurt.

“Nil,” she muttered through his teeth on her lip.

He closed his eyes, let her go, and rested his forehead in the crook of her neck. He was thrusting into her almost enough to hurt. Aloy wasn’t sure if she was afraid or not. “Oh, my sweet girl,” he whispered. “I’m not going to hurt you.” Not any more, she assumed. Or maybe he meant ‘murder.’ She got kisses pressed into her skin and gentle nips along her neck before he shifted, rolling them over and squeezing her hips tightly as he looked up at her with a blank expression.

Aloy ignored him, closed her eyes, and rested her hands on his chest for leverage as she rocked her hips over his. If she angled herself right, she could rub her clit along his pelvic bone and feel him better inside of her, pressing against the front wall of her vagina. He pulled her hips down onto his until she was shuddering and gasping, all her hair raising on end with her orgasm. She stared down at his smooth chest and took deep breaths before giving one final shudder. “Why do you prefer me on top?” she whispered.

“Why do you _think?”_ he asked quietly as he brushed her hair out of her face.

Aloy gently pulled her sore lower lip into her mouth and felt him twitch inside of her as he watched her. It made her stomach clench in disgust. She thought about it. “Because you get to do less work,” and he grinned at that, “and … and I think that you’re less likely to hurt someone if they’re on top.”

Nil sat up and shifted until he was leaning back against the wall, and kissed her lightly as he smiled. It didn’t reach his eyes. “Exactly, my sweet thing. I simply couldn’t bear it if I hurt you.”

“I doubt that,” she muttered.

Her friend shrugged and put his hands on her breasts, moving them around and squeezing every so often. It seemed to amuse him. “Well, it is what it is. Besides, who would kill bandits and thugs with me, if you died? No one, so I do everything in my power to keep you safe from both others and myself.”

She pushed his hands off of her and glared at him. “You’re a disgusting person.”

Nil just grinned. “And yet we have sex on a regular basis - and don’t quibble that me eating you out doesn’t count. What does that say about _you?”_

Aloy got up and grabbed some waterless wipes, rubbing herself down. “That I’m going to enjoy sex with Vanasha and Petra a lot more.”

“Well, _that_ is a given. You and I are more alike than you think, Aloy.”

She threw the packet of wipes at him and turned to start dressing. “Ugh, just get yourself decent. Why do you even have sex, if it doesn’t get you off?”

He made a slight, thoughtful noise. “I may not climax from it, but it’s still a pleasant feeling. Also …” Aloy turned her head to raise an eyebrow at him. He was frowning as he watched her, eyes crawling over her body. “You make yourself vulnerable for me, and that intrigues me. You know what I am and what I do - you participate with me even while protesting that you’re nothing like me, which is a discussion in and of itself - and yet you still _regularly_ put yourself in a position in which it would be _incredibly_ easy for me to kill you. Why is that, do you wonder?”

“I don’t kill for fun,” Aloy reminded him tartly. “There’s a difference between killing in self defense or the defense of others and killing for fun. There’s a difference between killing in self defense and _deliberately looking for that opportunity,_ too. Besides, if you wanted to kill me, you would have already - but you haven’t.” She narrowed her eyes as he finally started dressing. “I think part of that is that you wouldn’t have anyone you could convince to kill people with you, and part is that killing me in bed would be too easy. You’ve said before that you’d like to see who would win, in a fight. That’s ---”

Sudden pounding on her door made them both jump. _“Wake uuuuup! It’s your birthdaaaaay! Rise and shiiiiine!”_ Erend may have been hollering at the top of his voice, but he wasn’t barging in like normal - he was probably afraid they were having sex.

_“It’s my birthday!”_ Aloy yelled back, like normal. _“Let me sleep!”_

“Ain’t no rest for the wicked, baby! I’m gonna eat your breakfast!”

She was dressed enough, and the conversation with Nil could wait. Her breakfast was at stake. She yanked her door open and lunged down the stairs, leaping from three up to tackle Erend as he sprinted toward the kitchen. Rost’s quick reflexes kept her brother from cracking his skull against the counter as they tumbled in. Aloy pushed off of him into a somersault and slid beneath the table, popping up on the other side and scrambling into her chair, decorated with pale blue streamers and pale blue balloons, a crown waiting for her on her plate. She hesitated only slightly before putting it on. She didn’t think their birthday traditions had ever been different, and that made her chest and stomach clench with an icy, burning pain in the emptiness of them both. Nil leaned in the doorway and watched her as Avad served her her breakfast with overly-dramatic flair.

“Where’s Ersa?” she asked as he poured her some milk.

“Well, this is for family, so she’s ---”

Aloy tilted her head back and took a deep breath. _“Ersaaaaa!”_ she bellowed before grinning at her brother. “She’s practically family. _Ersa, breakfast!”_ She was expecting Ersa to come sliding in the door. She was _not_ expecting Ersa to dive through the window above the sink, somersault in the air, and spin herself into a chair.

Her grin was bright as she grabbed a plate and started dishing up food. “Hah! I did it! Happy birthday, kid.”

“Show-off,” Avad muttered, but he was smiling.

Ersa tilted her head up so he could kiss her. “I told you I could do it.”

He kissed her again and started rubbing her shoulders. “I never doubted you.” Aloy shoved as much pancake into her mouth as she could and let out a long, exaggerated groan of disgust at the two of them. Avad ruffled her hair and she slapped at him. “As if _you_ aren’t staying with Vanasha and Petra tonight.”

Aloy garbled something at him, then actually put effort into chewing and swallowing, taking a drink from the glass of milk that Rost handed her. “Yeah, but we’re not making out in front of you. It’s my birthday; you can’t argue with me.” She ate her fill of the small smorgasbord of her favorite foods that was on the table - pumpkin pie, blueberry pancakes, mashed red potatoes, turkey, pineapple upside down cake, and homemade macaroni and cheese - and only sat back with a mug of hot, spiced apple cider when she was full. Everyone - even Nil - had their own plates. “Best birthday breakfast yet,” she declared. “Thank you.” Then she screamed a little with laughter as Rost and Erend picked up her chair and held it on their shoulders. “Oh, come on!”

“We have to take the birthday queen to open presents,” Erend told her. Aloy laughed as they carried her into the living room and held her mug tightly, trying not to spill. She was set gently down in front of a small pile of presents. “Here, open mine!”

“Is it a pile of crap?”

Erend laughed. “Ah, damn, how’d you guess?”

Aloy was tearing into the wrapping. “It’s what I’ve always wanted from you, Erend.”

“Homemade gifts _are_ the best,” he agreed.

“Aww …” Aloy lifted a small, handmade metal recurve bow out of the small box. It was a necklace, and came with two small quivers of arrows attached to curved wire hooks. Erend leaned forward and fairly vibrated with excitement as Aloy carefully handled the jewelry. “Erend, these are beautiful. Thank you.”

“It works, too,” he gushed.

Aloy raised an eyebrow and then took one of the tiny, half-inch-long arrows out of a quiver, delicately balanced it, and drew the bowstring back. It _did_ work - the bowstring pulled the limbs back, and Aloy took careful aim at the couch before letting it go. The little arrow went flying and embedded itself just a bit in the pillow, and she laughed.

“Oh, my God, Erend. This is wonderful.” Ersa picked the arrow up and handed it back to her. It went back in the quiver, and there was a latch to keep the arrows from falling out. Aloy put the earrings and necklace on and hugged her brother. “You made this?”

He looked down and shrugged. “Yeah. Took me all year.”

“I love it,” she declared. “It’s amazing. Thank you.” He flushed and mumbled as Avad picked up a box about two feet by two feet, and handed it to her. “Is it my pony?” she asked.

He laughed. “Ah, no. This was the only box I had, and I couldn’t fit the pony in it. Sorry. It’s from both of us.”

The other half of ‘us’ was just grinning as Aloy unwrapped the box and then gasped. “No way!” She pulled out the tripcaster and cradled it to her chest, looking at Avad and Ersa with a gaping mouth. “No way! You got me a tripcaster! I was expecting gift cards!”

That had Ersa howling with laughter and Avad covering his face. “I … that’s why it’s from both of us,” he admitted. “I’m so sorry. I got busy, and Ersa just told me to give her some money, so I did, and …”

He trailed off because Aloy wasn’t paying attention. She was turning her new tripcaster over and over in her hands, admiring the muted colors with splashes of blue and digging in the box to look at the shock and blast wire ammo that had come with it. “This must have been so expensive,” she finally said as she looked up. “You really - no, this is too expensive.”

Ersa rolled her eyes. “Then it lets us off the hook for Christmas. Deal?”

“Ersa ---”

Aloy nodded. “Deal.” The tripcaster had to have cost over two hundred dollars.

Rost handed her a small envelope. “The pony was out of the question this year, but this might help in the future.”

“Is Teersa coming over later?” Aloy asked as she took it. Rost nodded. “Good.” Her grandmother usually came by for dinner on birthdays. Aloy hummed as she opened the envelope and then leaned over to hug her stepfather. “Thank you,” she whispered.

He hugged her back, tightly. “You’re welcome.”

Erend was asking what it was and she showed him the certificate for horseback riding lessons. It was only for two, but Aloy had ridden before. He sat back and shrugged. “I dunno why you need riding lessons - you have Nil, don’t you?” Aloy let out a small shriek and threw her mug at him. He ducked and grinned. “I really don’t see the difference.”

_“Shut up!”_ Aloy screamed as her cheeks flushed.

Nil laughed. “Either you have _no_ idea how horseback riding _or_ sex work, or you’ve been practicing on the horses.”

Erend made a face. “Ugh, that’s gross.”

“Just an observation.”

Aloy opened her mouth to ask Nil what _he’d_ gotten her for her birthday, but the answer would inevitably be ‘an orgasm,’ so she blew a short raspberry and fiddled with her new jewelry instead. “Yeah, well, _I’m_ not interested in my siblings’ sex lives, so let’s move on.”

That might have gotten embarrassed looks from her brothers, but she paid them no mind as Rost pulled out a board game. Nil wandered off at one point, most likely because nothing violent was happening to other people, and it was a few hours before there was a knock on the door. Ersa was laying over Aloy, who was holding her hand of cards above her head and laughing, trying to make sure the birthday girl wasn’t cheating - no matter what they told her, Ersa didn’t belive that Aloy got a free pass to cheat on her birthday. Everyone looked up.

“Who’s that?” Erend asked. He grinned and stroked his beard. “Are Petra and Vanasha early? I can keep them company, if you need to freshen up.”

Everyone gave him dirty looks as he chortled to himself, and Ersa heaved herself up and slapped him upside the back of his head on her way to the front door. She scanned it with her Focus before shrugging and throwing it open. “What do you want?” she snapped.

“Why is she so _rude?”_ Avad muttered. Aloy shrugged and flicked her own Focus on, then scrambled up as she started swearing and anger rose in her chest. “Aloy?”

“It’s Ted,” she snarled even as her uncle’s voice rose above Ersa’s.

“--- wanted to wish Aloy a happy birthday. I have a present for her!” He caught a glimpse of her and waved with a face-splitting grin. “Aloy! Come see!”

“Nobody wants you here, Ted,” she told him as she stomped up and stood behind Ersa. There was a shiny new car in the driveway behind him, with a large bow on it. She felt her jaw drop as her heart stopped. She had a moment of perfect clarity, in which she knew _beyond a shadow of a doubt_ that she was going to calmly step past Ersa, take up a knife, and stab Ted about ten times with it. “... you bought me a car,” she heard herself say, calmly, from a distance.

Ted looked over his shoulder and then back to her with a grin and a laugh as he waved his hand. He was fairly vibrating with nervous energy. “That? Oh, no - that’s from your father. No, what _I_ did was waive all the fees you need to challenge all those lower-level college courses in order to get your Bachelor’s, and of course I know that Rost doesn’t want you to work for me, _but_ my employees _do_ get tuition assistance, and I think that in your case I can get the board to give you a full-ride scholarship, oh, anywhere you want.” He tapped his Focus and hers blipped. Aloy flicked it on and skimmed through the fee waivers he’d downloaded for her, as well as the title to the car, fully in her name and with the insurance paid through the next five years.

“Wait,” she interrupted. Ted was just congratulating himself on his own benevolence and generosity, anyway. _“Who_ gave me the car?” Rost had moved behind her and Ted’s face twitched a bit.

“Your father.”

It was a brand-new car. It would last a lot longer than their current one. Her father had given it to her. Her father, who hadn’t been around since she was a baby. Who had possibly hit her mother. “You know my father?” Aloy shook her head. “I mean, you still speak to him?”

Ted blinked and tilted his head a bit. “Well … yes, of course. He still works for me. It’s a shame about the divorce - he really does love you all. I don’t believe the allegations. I think Lis just overreacted. He talks about you all a lot; he’s very proud of all that you’ve accomplished.”

“Ted.” Rost’s voice was very quiet as the heartbeats that her body had skipped all caught up with her at once and Aloy wasn’t sure if she was going to scream or cry. Ted shut his mouth as she put one hand on the door jamb to steady herself and looked between him, the car, and the ground, trying to catch her breath.

“I … I just … Why would he do this?” she finally asked. “What does he want?”

“Well … to know you. I’m sure Lis told you terrible things about him, but he’s not as bad as ---”

“Get off our property.”

Rost’s command rumbled through him like thunder and Ted’s eyes went wide. Aloy felt him shift behind her and whatever he’d done, it had Ted turning around and scurrying to the black limo waiting at the curb. Her chest was heaving and the aching emptiness in it that she’d thought was finally receding was back full-force, threatening to swallow her whole, and she hated herself for it but she stumbled to the car, looking it over, searching for any note, any message from the man she shared half her DNA with. It was a manual. It was fully modern in every other way, but it was a manual. Why had he done that? She knew how to drive a manual, but … _why?_ It was sleek and pale blue with delicate accents of red and white, but the closer she looked, the more it was obvious that the car was built for power and possibly off-roading. There was no note. Nothing. Aloy was shaking when she finally turned to Rost, who was looking down at her with a pinched expression.

“Why would he do this?” she whispered.

Rost put his hand on her shoulder and squeezed it as he shook his head. “I don’t know. We can talk about it later. But right now, I need you and Avad to pay Marad a visit. Alright?”

That grounded her. Aloy took a deep breath and nodded. Avad and Ersa were in the latter’s car already, and she got in the backseat and took a few deep breaths. “Let’s go,” she whispered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *cries a lot over how hard writing is*
> 
> ten points if you know who aloy's dad is by now


End file.
